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Summary Factors influencing time to loco-regional recurrence were identified in a multivariate regression analysis of data from a series of 468 radically operated patients (260 Dukes' B and 208 Dukes' C) with carcinoma of the rectum and the rectosigmoid. A number of clinical and pathological characteristics were prospectively collected and recorded. In addition, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was measured within I week before surgery. The endpoint used was recurrence below the level of the umbilicus. All patients were followed for at least 5 years or until time of death.The two Dukes' stages B and C were analysed in two separate analyses using the Cox proportional hazards model. In patients with Dukes' B tumours, an increased risk of loco-regional recurrence was associated with perineural invasion, tumour located less than 10 cm from the anal verge, patient aged above 70 years, and small tumour size. In patients with Dukes' C tumours, the necessity to resect neighbour organs, perineural and venous invasion, tumour located less than 10 cm from the anal verge, and large tumour size were all associated with a poor loco-regional outcome. Postoperative radiotherapy was not a significant prognosticator for loco-regional control.An update of the 5-year results of the randomised study of post-operative radiotherapy (50 Gy with 2 Gy per fraction in an overall treatment time of 7 weeks) showed no survival benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy in either Dukes' category and no statistically significant improvement in the 5-year loco-regional control rate. However, when the comparison was restricted to a group of high-risk patients there was a statistically significant benefit from radiotherapy with respect to loco-regional control (P = 0.03) but not with respect to survival (P = 0.23). The potential advantage, in terms of the required number of patients, of restricting clinical trials of intensified loco-regional therapies to the high-risk patients, is illustrated.

Summary The prognostic value of several clinical and histopathological characteristics has been evaluated in patients with Dukes' B and C carcinoma of the rectum and the rectosigmoid. Data on 260 Dukes' B and 208 Dukes' C tumours entered into a prospective, randomized clinical trial of post-operative radiotherapy (5OGy given with 2Gy/fraction in an overall time of 7 weeks) were analyzed by means of the Cox proportional hazards model. The Dukes' stages B and C were analyzed in two separate multivariate analyses. In patients with Dukes' B tumours, a poor prognosis was associated with age above 60, perineural and venous invasion, tumour located 3.2 ng ml-1). In patients with Dukes' C tumours, perineural and venous invasion, tumour located 80 years, non-radical surgery, bedridden more than 50% of day 20-25 days after surgery, post-operative complications, previous cancer within 5 years and previous radiotherapy. A detailed description of material and methods has been published in Balslev et al. (1982Balslev et al. ( , 1986 Table I.

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Summary. The palatal roots of 100 maxillary first permanent molar teeth and 100 maxillary second molar teeth were examined for degree and nature of curvature in a bucco‐palatal direction. Eighty‐five per cent of palatal canals of maxillary permanent first and second molar teeth were curved more than 10. Attention is drawn to the need to use instrumentation techniques which are directed to the maintenance of this curvature, and care should also be taken during preparation of post holes so that the curvature of these root canals is not ignored.