Carcinoma of the colon. Cancer specific long-term survival. A series of 615 patients treated by one surgeon.

The cancer specific survival in 615 patients undergoing resection for carcinoma of the colon is presented. The patients were operated on and managed by one surgeon between 1950--1977. Computer analysis has been made of the prospectively collected data. Results are presented as median survival in months and as percentage survivors at 5, 10, 15 and 20 years. Curative resection gave a cancer specific survival at the seventy-fifth percentile of 66 months, corresponding to 76% survival at five years and 67% at 20 years. Age and sex were not significant prognostic factors. Dukes' Stages A, B and C had five-year survivals of 88%, 78% and 60% respectively, after curative resection. The median survival after palliative resection was 14 months. Site of the primary tumor within the colon was of significant prognostic importance only when the poor survival in tumors of the transverse colon was compared with the favorable survival in those of the splenic flexure, ascending, descending and sigmoid colon.