Abstract

The medical records of 425 patients with colorectal cancer operated at the Seoul National University Hoapital between 1978 and 1983 were examined. Fourteen cases (3.3%) of multiple primary colorectal cancers were identified. Eleven pat,ients (2.6%) were found to have synchronous multiple cancer and 5 patients (l.2%), metachranous cancer. Two of 14 patients (0.5%) were found to have both synchronous and metachronous cancers. A total of 34 tumora was involved; 12 in the rectum, 4 in the hepatic flexure, 3 each in the ascending, transverse, descending and sigmoid colon and rectosigmoid area, 2 in the cecum and one in the appendix. Seven patients (50%) had concomitant adenomatous polyp and 2 of them had family history of colorectal cancer. Seven of 13 patients with available pathology report had regional lymph ncde metastasis and one of them had metastatic nodules on the mesentery. All the patients with synchronous tumors except one were treated by standard partial colectomy for each tumors. Five patients with metachranous tumors were treated in the same way, but two of them had subtotal colectomy for second metachronous cancer.