RESUMEN
Through a period of 7 years [from September 1987 to August 1994 inclusive] 82 patients with colonic or rectal cancer were treated at Radiation Oncology Unit, Tanta University Hospitals. They represent 2.9% of all cases and 64% of all gastrointestinal tract [GIT] tumors. They were 48 males and 34 females with a mean age of 41.2 +/- 8.32 years. The most common presenting symptoms were disturbed bowel habits and bleeding per rectum with the majority of patients had more than one symptom at presentation. The distribution of colonic and rectal cancer were nearly equal [48.8% Vs 51.2%]. The most common histopathological type was adenocaroinoma [67.1%] and 46.3% were grade II. Duke's stage C was 40%. The 16 patients presented with metastases, which were categorized as Duke's stage D [19.6%], together with the 12 patients who had unresectable locally advanced tumors were treated by palliative radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. Nine patients underwent surgical resection only and 21 received postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The most important prognostic factors were age of patients, stage of disease, histopathologic type and combined treatment modality. The aim of work is analysis of patient characteristics and results of treatment of colorectal carcinoma in 82 patients presented and treated through the period of the study