[Early detection and results of therapy of malignant tumours of the rectum and sigmoid colon (author's transl)].

An analysis of statistical data indicates 0 growth of incidence and high percentage of advanced cases of rectum and colon cancer. The mean duration of preoperative history of rectum cancer comprises 8,9 months. The main causes of late diagnosis included the patients' unawareness of the symptoms of the lesion, and the defects of examinations performed in out-patient clinics.