ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we shall deal only with those areas of pathology that are relevant for treatment decisions, analysis of treatment results and quality management. Thus we do not include diagnosis and differential diagnosis, epidemiology, genetics, precancerous conditions and lesions, causal and formal pathogenesis, and the dysplasia-carcinoma sequence. Because 95% of all malignant tumours of the colon and rectum are carcinomas, predominantly the pathology of carcinomas will be discussed, and only in the last section will a short overview be given of the other, very uncommon, malignant tumours (endocrine, mesenchymal and lymphoid).
