Management and survival of adenocarcinoma of the rectum in the United States: results of a national survey by the American College of Surgeons.

Data from the long- and short-term surveys of the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer were examined to evaluate the survival and management of patients with rectal cancer in the United States. Overall, females experienced better survival than males, and white had better survival than blacks. The 5-year survival rates for localized, regional and distant stages of the disease were 76.4, 43.1, and 5.5% respectively. The survival rates in relation to histologic grade of the tumor indicated that the survival experiences of patients with well and moderately differentiated tumors were similar (57% versus 54%) and that patients with poorly differentiated tumors had significantly lower survival (35%). The survival experience of those receiving abdominoperineal resection was similar to those treated by low anterior resection (56% versus 58%). Location of the tumor in the rectum did not affect prognosis.