| [ Summary ] |
Information concerning metastatic colorectal carcinomas is reviewed. Metastatic colorectal carcinomas are rare compared to the incidence of primary colorectal carcinoma (0.1-1 %). Metastatic colorectal carcinoma is primarily a cancer of gastric origin. The rate of metastasis is higher than that for uterine or ovarian cancer. The rate of hamatoganeous and lymphatic metastasis is higher than for lung cancer. Metastatic colorectal carcinoma is found to be non-symptomatic in many cases. However, metastatic colorectal carcinoma presents with symptoms, such as abdominal pain, abdominal distention, dyschezia, or bloody stools. Metastatic colorectal carcinoma presents in various forms, such as strangulation, submucosal tumors, or Bullʼs-eye lesions. Bullʼs-eye lesions are characterised by embolic metastasis (hamatoganeous and lymphatic metastasis). The principal therapeutic procedure recommended operative is resection. However, chemotherapy is frequently employed, because many cases present with multiple metastasis which has spread to other organs. The prognosis in these cases is generally poor. On the other hand, if metastatic colorectal carcinomas are found early on, extension of survival periods may be expected. Early detection and early treatment are important for effective treatment of metastatic tumors. |