[Cryotherapy in rectal cancer (author's transl)].

: From 1972 to 1979 151 carcinomas of the rectum were treated by cryotherapy. Radical tumour destruction was observed in 19 cases. The other cases showed good palliation after multiple cryotherapy. In 48 biopsies the local effect of cryotherapy has been studied by SEM. Local tumour destruction was followed by tissue inflammation and nonspecific phagocytosis of tumour cells. Immunological reaction and epithelialization was noted only after radical destruction of the tumour.