ABSTRACT
More than two-thirds of the patients with colon carcinomas are potentially curatively resectable, but only about half of them survive without additional adjuvant treatment for five years. The prognosis is decisively influenced by the tumour stage and the surgeon’s expertise. Prerequisite for adjuvant therapy is an R0 resection of the primary tumour. The basis for the adjuvant therapy after quality-assured tumour resection is the histopathogical stage, in particular the pN status. An absolute prerequisite for the cure of a patient is complete removal of the colon carcinoma. The indication for adjuvant chemotherapy requires complete tumour resection. No recommendations can be made due to inadequate data regarding the role of additive treatment in the case of incomplete resections. Complete tumour resection includes, in addition to the local removal of the primary tumour, the additional en-bloc resection of the lymphatic drainage. Lymphatic metastases occur in the pericolic lymph nodes and follow the course of the supplying vessels.
