There are few actual published results about morbidity and mortality after elective resection of colorectal cancer. Out of 596 patients with colorectal cancer, the medical records of 492 who had been prepared preoperatively according to our predefined standards and electively operated on, were analysed. We studied the results of morbidity and mortality and their association with preexisting conditions and preoperative complications. We found that 50% of our patients had preexisting conditions and that 18.7% had preoperative complications (obstruction, ileus, infections). The rate of general postoperative complications was 30.5%. While for pneumonia (13%) there was age and sex relation, for urinary infection (12.7%) there was only sex relation. We were able to reduce urinary infections by half (5.7%), by using a suprapubic catheter. 11.4% of our patients had local complications (anastomotic leakage 2%, ileus 2.2%, bleeding 1.6%, fistula 1.2%). These were neither dependent on age or sex, nor on preoperative complications or preexisting conditions. Mortality within 30 days was 2% and overall mortality was 2.6%. Our results show that careful diagnosis and treatment of preexisting conditions, bowel preparation and an improvement in operating techniques can all lead to improved results after elective resection.