OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the current picture of colorectal cancer in a public hospital of Rio Grande do Sul, focusing on aspects related to diagnosis, staging and surgical therapy addressed in these patients. METHODS: A descriptive and retrospective study that includes patients with colorectal cancer admitted to the Proctology Service of the Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição de Porto Alegre, from January 2009 to May 2011. RESULTS: This study investigated 61 patients, 65.6% were female. Their age ranged from 40 to 84 years. Colonoscopy was performed in 58 patients; 56.9% of them had over 50% impaired colon lumen. The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was collected from 59 patients, 47.5% had CEA>5 ng/mL. Distant metastases were found in 23.3% of total 60 patients. Underwent surgical treatment 58 patients, of a curative intent was 84.5%. The presence of more than 12 lymph nodes per specimen was 73.1%. All 61 patients were classified as: Stage I (9.8%), Stage II (29.5%), Stage III (29.5%) and Stage IV (31.1%). CONCLUSION: The profile of the patients treated at our institution indicates disease in advanced stage; however, the methods employed have provided a curative surgical treatment in our oncology patients.
colorectal neoplasms; colorectal surgery; Unified Health System
