Introduction:

rectal cancer is considered one of the most frequent neoplasia of the 21st century, with high mortality.

Objective:

to characterize patients who underwent rectal cancer surgery at the Teaching Clinic-Surgical Hospital Faustino Pérez Hernández, of Matanzas, between January 2015 and December 2018.

Materials and methods:

a descriptive observational study was carried out. The universe was 97 patients of both sexes, who underwent a rectal cancer surgery. Data were obtained from individual medical records. Variables such as age, sex, specific tumor location, clinical manifestations, anatomopathologic characteristics and stages of the disease, surgical technique used and post-surgery complications during the first seven days were analyzed. The statistical method used was the frequency distribution, in absolute values and percentages.

Results:

people aged 70-79 years and men predominated among patients with rectal cancer. The upper rectum was the site of most common location. Rectal bleeding, phlegm expulsion, and changes in bowel habit were the most frequent symptoms. Well-differentiated adenocarcinoma was the most prevalent histological variety, and the stages that prevailed were II and III. The most commonly used surgical technique was anterior resection, and the most common complication was surgical site infection.

Conclusions:

to prevent risk factors, their predisposing causes and triggers; to use conventional and advanced diagnostic means. Early detection and treatment of the disease can achieve better quality of life in these patients.

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