title: Carcinoma of the rectum in Finland--changes in two decades. An epidemiologic and clinical study.
abstract: Data from all new cases of rectal carcinoma diagnosed in Finland in 1975 were compared with corresponding data from 1953-1956. Operability increased from 67 to 90% and, among surgically treated cases, resectability for cure from 60 to 66%. In major resection for cure, restorative surgery increased from 10.2 to 21.8%. The surgical mortality diminished (16-5%). Of the 1975 series, 25% were classified as tumour stage A, and 43, 11 and 22% as B, C and D, respectively. Relative 5-year survival rose overall from 20% in the 1953-1956 cases to 38% in those from 1975, and following resection with curative intent from 52 to 59%. Crude survival rates among the patients with tumour resected for cure rose from 54 to 61% in stage A and from 15 to 43% in stage B, but were unchanged in stage C, 22 v. 21%. Our figures were comparable with available reports on rectal carcinoma in defined populations. The reasons for longer survival were increased operability and resectability and reduced surgical mortality. Improved quality of tumour staging in national statistics is mandatory for valid comparisons of treatment results.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012042:Registries