In this retrospective trial we examined 142 patients with advanced unr
esectable cancer, who had bowel obstruction, bleeding, bowel lesion an
d abscesses and who were treated with different surgical procedures (r
esection, bypass, enterostomy). Mean survival rate was 8.6 months (ran
ge: 0-57 months). The mortality rate reached 21.7%. Surgical reinterve
ntion was necessary in 15.8% because of bowel obstruction and did not
influence the survival rate. Despite advanced tumor disease and intest
inal obstruction most patients had a good quality of life after surgic
al intervention.