Purpose: Recently, survival after recurrence (SAR) has been one of the major concerns after recurrence of colorectal carcinoma. To identify the risk factors about SAR is important as much as to identify the risk factors about recurrence. It provides us useful information for treatment strategy to know which patient will be expected with long term survival after recurrence. This study was aimed to identify the risk factors about overall SAR in recurred colorectal carcinoma. Methods: Between January 2002 and December 2005, two hundred twenty one patients, who had recurrence of colorectal carcinoma after initial curative resection at Seoul National University Hospital, were included. Clinicopathologic characteristics and survival outcomes were retrospectively reviewed. Survival analysis was performed to identify the risk factors for SAR. Results: Median recurrence time after initial curative resection was 22.5 months (range, 0?93.0 month). Median follow-up time after recurrence was 34.8 months (range, 0?130.0 month). In univariate analysis, low body mass index, preoperative elevated carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, high grade histology, metastatic disease and perineural invasion were significant associated with poor SAR. In multivariate analysis, preoperative elevated CEA (hazard ratio [HR], 1.517; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.088?2.114; P=0.014), high grade histology (HR, 2.307; 95% CI, 1.343?3.961; P=0.002) and treatment after recurrence (HR, 2.755; 95% CI, 1.374?5.524; P=0.004) were significant associated with poor SAR. Conclusion: Preoperative elevated CEA, high grade histology and treatment after recurrence were independent risk factors for SAR.