title: Timing of relapse and outcome after curative resection for colorectal cancer: a Japanese multicenter study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this multicenter study was to clarify the influence of timing of relapse after curative resection for colorectal cancer on prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 5,230 consecutive patients who underwent curative resection for colorectal cancer at 14 hospitals from 1991 to 1996. All patients were intensively followed up. Time to relapse (TR) was classified into three groups as follows: group A, TR < or =1 year; group B, TR >1 year and < or =3 years, and group C, TR >3 years. The prognoses after relapse were compared among the three groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 5,230 patients, 906 experienced relapse (17.3%). The curative resection rates for recurrent tumors were 35.2% in group A, 46.6% in group B, and 45.1% in group C (p = 0.0045). There were significant differences in the prognoses after relapse among the three TR groups in patients with relapse to the liver (p = 0.0175) and in those with local relapses (p = 0.0021), but not in those with pulmonary or anastomotic recurrence. There were no differences in prognoses after relapse in any recurrence site among the three groups in patients who underwent curative resection for relapse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If patients can undergo curative resection for relapse, they receive a survival benefit regardless of the timing of relapse.
authors: Department of Surgical Oncology, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. h-kobayashi.srg2@tmd.ac.jp
authors: Hirotoshi
authors: H
authors: Kobayashi
authors: Hidetaka
authors: H
authors: Mochizuki
authors: Takayuki
authors: T
authors: Morita
authors: Kenjiro
authors: K
authors: Kotake
authors: Tatsuo
authors: T
authors: Teramoto
authors: Shingo
authors: S
authors: Kameoka
authors: Yukio
authors: Y
authors: Saito
authors: Keiichi
authors: K
authors: Takahashi
authors: Kazuo
authors: K
authors: Hase
authors: Masatoshi
authors: M
authors: Ohya
authors: Koutarou
authors: K
authors: Maeda
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Hirai
authors: Masao
authors: M
authors: Kameyama
authors: Kazuo
authors: K
authors: Shirouzu
authors: Kenichi
authors: K
authors: Sugihara
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome