title: [Role of electrocoagulation in treatment of cancers of the rectum].
abstract: The authors describe the technics of a wide local electrocoagulation which was used in the treatment of 42 malignant tumors of the rectum: 27 adenocarcinomas and 15 malignant villous tumors. This not disabling technic, avoiding colostomy, is generally harmless even in old and poor risk patients. The mortality rate was 7 p. 100 in the adenocarcinomas series, nul in the malignant villous tumor series. The five year survival rate was 66 p. 100 in the first series and 80 p. 100 in the second. One third of the patients bearing adenocarcinomas developed recurrences, among which some were treated either by large surgery, iterative electrocoagulation, or radiotherapy after colostomy. The indications depend on the size and the site of the tumor. Electrocoagulation is found possible only for T1 or T2 tumors of the posterior and lateral walls of the rectum, provided that they are located at less than 10 cm from anus and above the sphincter.
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*
vernacular_title: La place de l'électrocoagulation dans le traitement des cancers du rectum