Prognostic factors in rectal carcinoma. A contribution to the further development of tumor classification.

In 597 patients with adenocarcinoma or mucinous adenocarcinoma of the rectum, the prognosis after radical resection for cure was investigated. Staging according to the fourth edition of the UICC TNM Classification showed a good correlation to prognosis. By multivariate analysis, various additional independent prognostic factors could be demonstrated. The individual additional prognostic factors are partly of significance in some pTNM defined stages and substages, but not in others. In order to obtain the most detailed knowledge of prognostic factors after radical resection for cure, multivariate analysis of prognostic factors in colorectal carcinoma must be performed not only in separate colonic and rectal groups, but also separately for each of the individual pTNM defined stages and substages.