Regional Differences in Local Recurrence Rates after Rectal Cancer Surgery.

• Abstract Aim To analyse a substantial regional difference in local failure rate after rectal cancer surgery focusing on management. Methods National, population-based, prospective registry data were used, including comprehensive five year follow-up of 3,783 patients operated on in the period 1998-2000. Local recurrence rates were compared using crude rate, Kaplan-Meier estimates and competing risk methodology. Resected patients (651 regional and 3,132 national) were analysed and subgroup comparisons of management were performed. Results The crude local recurrence rate was 13.7 percent in the regional cohort and 7.1 percent in the national cohort. The absolute difference of 6.6 percent may partly be explained by systematic errors of underreporting (

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