Background: The purpose of our study is to emphasise the diagnostic and therapeutic problems of metachronous colorectal cancer.
Materials and methods: Between 1990 and February 2004, amongst 185 patients that were treated for colorectal cancer, in four of them a metachronous carcinoma was diagnosed.
Results: 1st patient: male 41 years, underwent colectomy of the descending colon for adenocarcinoma. Four years later, a rectosigmoidal cancer was found infiltrating urinary bladder. 2nd patient: male 62 years, underwent right hemicolectomy. Eight years later two synchronous cancers were diagnosed, in the left colic flexure and in the sigmoid colon. 3rd patient: female 73 years, underwent low anterior resection for rectal cancer. Eight years later, caecal and ascending colon cancers were diagnosed with hepatic metastases. 4th patient: female 60 years underwent transversectomy. Six years later caecal cancer was diagnosed with pulmonary metastases. Amongst the four patients, only the fourth had an adequate postoperative follow up.
Conclusions: Extended radical colectomies in young patients and in those where adenomatous polyps coexist will reduce the incidence of metachronous carcinoma. Effective and persistent postoperative surveillance in patients with colorectal cancer will greatly contribute in the detection and treatment of metachronous carcinomas.