Nationwide improvement of rectal cancer treatment outcomes in Norway, 1993-2010.

Background: The Norwegian Rectal Cancer Project was initated in 1993 with the aims of improving surgery, decreasing local recurrence rates, improving survival, and establishing a national rectal cancer registry. Here we present results from the Norwegian Colorectal Cancer Registry (NCCR) from 1993 to 2010.

Material And Methods: A total of 15 193 patients were diagnosed with rectal cancer in Norway 1993-2010, and were registered with clinical data regarding diagnosis, treatment, locoregional recurrences and distant metastases.