From the reviews: "To illustrate the latest advancement in the multidisciplinary aspects of the treatment of rectal cancer based on the presentations delivered in a recent international meeting held in Heidelberg, Germany. ... This is a very good, up-to-date book, written by experts on the different aspects of the interdisciplinary treatment of rectal cancer. ... This is probably one of the best concise books about the treatment of rectal cancer. It should be on the shelf of every surgeon or physician with a special interest in this topic." (M. Montorsi, Digestive and Liver Disease, Vol. 38, 2006)

• Postoperative Pathophysiology and Choice of Incision.- Fast-Track Colonic Surgery: Status and Perspectives.- Fast-Track Surgery: The Heidelberg Experience.- Rectal Cancer: A Compartmental Disease. The Mesorectum and Mesorectal Lymph Nodes.- The Pathological Assessment of Total Mesorectal Excision: What Are the Relevant Resection Margins?.- Is the Lateral Lymph Node Compartment Relevant?.- Diagnostics of Rectal Cancer: Endorectal Ultrasound.- Preoperative Staging of Rectal Cancer: The MERCURY Research Project.- Rectal Cancer Management: Europe Is Ahead.- Teaching Efforts to Spread TME Surgery in Sweden.- Learning Curve: The Surgeon as a Prognostic Factor in Colorectal Cancer Surgery.- Surgical Results of Total Mesorectal Excision for Rectal Cancer in a Specialised Colorectal Unit.- Total Mesorectal Excision: The Heidelberg Results after TME.- Is Local Excision of T2/T3 Rectal Cancers Adequate?.- Operative Treatment of Locally Recurrent Rectal Cancer.- Laparoscopic TME: Better Vision, Better Results?.- Laparoscopic TME—The Surgeon's or the Patient's Preference.- Laparoscopic Total Mesorectal Excision—The Turin Experience.- Evacuation of Neorectal Reservoirs after TME.- Long-Term Functional Results After Straight or Colonic J-Pouch Coloanal Anastomosis.- Urinary and Sexual Function After Total Mesorectal Excision.- Functional Results of the Colon J-Pouch Versus Transverse Coloplasty Pouch in Heidelberg.- Indications for Neoadjuvant Long-Term Radiotherapy.- Neoadjuvant Radiotherapy and Radiochemotherapy for Rectal Cancer.- Adjuvant Radiochemotherapy for Rectal Cancer.- Intraoperative Radiotherapy for Rectal Carcinoma.- Indications and Effect on Survival of Standard Chemotherapy in Advanced Colorectal Cancer.- New Chemotherapeutic Strategies in Colorectal Cancer.- ActiveSpecific Immunotherapy in Colon Cancer.- Radiofrequency Ablation in Metastatic Disease.