Resection of the abdominal aorta for recurrent colon cancers: 18 year survival

(1) An 18 year survival after resection of a recurrent colon cancer involving the aortic bifurcation is reported. (2) Involvement of major intraabdominal vessels by malignant tumors should not categorically be considered a contraindication to curative resection. (3) After extended radical resections for colonic cancer, 40 to 100 percent of the adhesions will contain malignant cells. Curative en bloc resection of these primary tumors together with their organs and tissues, particularly if the adhesions are dense, can achieve 5 year survival in 34 percent of cases. (4) Colonic tumors recur locally in 4 to 28 percent of patients who are resected for cure; recurrence at the primary site may be the sole evidence of recurrent disease in 28 to 60 percent of these cases. These patients may be candidates for exploratory laparotomy and 30 to 40 percent may be amenable to reresection for cure with an anticipated 5 year survival rate of 23 percent.