Oophorectomy in women with carcinoma of the colon and rectum.

Carcinoma of the colon and rectum metastasizes readily to the ovaries, and oophorectomy during operation upon the colon and rectum remains an effective surgical technique for precluding subsequent oophorectomy and, thereby, diminishing the morbidity of carcinoma of the colon and rectum in women. This procedure does not significantly affect the survival rate. Carcinoma of the ovary has become the fourth most common lethal cancer in women. Usually, the tumor is diagnosed after the development of ascites, mass and weight loss. The five year survival rate remains about 30 per cent. The incidence of carcinoma of the ovary in women with carcinoma of the colon and rectum is roughly five times the incidence of carcinoma of the ovary, that would be expected by chance. We believe the aforementioned observations strongly expand and reinforce the original proponents of prophylactic oophorectomy performed upon women with carcinoma of the colon and rectum and that, therefore, oophorectomy should be an integral part of operation upon the colon and rectum in women.