Fifty five cases of rectal resection with colo-anal anastomosis are reported. There were 51 cases of cancer and 4 cases of large villous adenoma. The mean distance between tumor and anal verge was 6.4 +/- 1.1 cm (2-8). The mean resection margin was 29.1 +/- 14.6 mm (0-60). The resection was macroscopically complete in 45 cases of cancer distributed as follows: Dukes stage A = 14, stage B = 12 and stage C = 19. Nine (16.4%) postoperative complications occurred; among four (7.3%) anastomotic fistulas, three were treated by colostomy prolongation and one by abdomino-perineal resection. Thirteen (28.9%) recurrences occurred, of which three (6.7%) were local recurrences. The actuarial five years survival rates was 63%.