The histories of 90 consecutive patients who underwent curative surgery for rectal cancer from January 1975 to December 1981 were reviewed. Twenty of 90 patients (22.2%) recurred locally. The site of the primary lesion and tumor differentiation are the most important factors influencing local recurrence. Median survival from recurrence was 3 months and no patient was alive after 15 months. No significant difference in survival was observed in patients surgically treated for recurrence compared to untreated patients.