title: [Synchronous carcinoma of the colon and the rectum (21 cases)].
abstract: We present a retrospective study on 610 patients with colorectal cancer diagnosed over a 10 year period; 21 patients (3.4%) had synchronous multiple primary carcinomas. Age and clinical symptoms were similar to those with single carcinomas. In 57% of patients, the presence of synchronous neoplasms was diagnosed preoperatively by colonoscopy and/or barium enema, in 38% peroperatively and in 5% postoperatively. The more frequent localizations were rectum-sigmoid colon (24%) and descendent colon-sigmoid colon (19%). Three patients had 3 synchronous tumors, respectively. According to the Dukes classification, 80% of the patients had stage B or C. The five-year survival rate was 61%, similar to that for colon cancer in general. We emphasize the importance of preoperative identification of synchronous lesions; the whole colon should be investigated before surgery in order to ensure that no synchronous tumor has been missed or to change planned surgery.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y Aparato Digestivo, Hospital de la Princesa, Madrid.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martín Pérez
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Serrano Sánchez
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Larrañaga Barrera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies
vernacular_title: Carcinoma sincrónico de colon y recto (21 casos).