Cancer of the large bowel: Practical value of classification

P results in an enormous amount of material available for histopathologic study.As might be expected in such a dense population of tumors, there is an infinite variety of individual Bowths with individual characteristics and patterns of behavior.I n such a situation, classification, which in many other disciplines is only a matter of academic interest, becomes a matter oE practical necessity.Unfortunately, most of the available statistical reports on the ultimate fate of patients suffering from this disease are indiscriminate from the standpoint of morphological classification.9J0Hence, they cannot be applied to the individual situation.Morphological features, both gross and microscopic, can and should be a basis for a practical classification.Even without including frankly pedunculated tumors which, in our opinion, represent simply the most benign form, the spectrum of grades of malignant potential in cancer of the colon is extremely witlc.This is true to such an extent that for pracc'ical purposes different types of tumor represent virtually different diseases.This is thc reason why the inclusion of all types of carcinoma of the large bowel under a single deriomination is misleading.4MATEKIAI.To establish a basis for a correlated classification, cases with adequate follow-up were considered Deaths in the postoperative period were not included.Deaths from other diseases within 5 years were also excluded, unless there was clinical evidence of malignancy or an autopsy was performed.T h e percentage of adequate follow-up information, provided by the Tunior Clinic Office of the Graduate Hospi-