Colorectal Cancer

Although colon cancer and rectal cancer are often grouped together due to their physical proximity, they are treated differently.

Colorectal cancers are usually first detected by:

An abnormal stool test or sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy
Rectal bleeding
Other symptoms suspicious of a colorectal cancer

If there is a suspicion of colorectal cancer, you may be referred to the Department of Gastroenterology, for colonoscopy and consideration of a biopsy.

Once a diagnosis of cancer has been confirmed, you will then be referred to the department of surgery for further evaluation.

Other tests, such as CT scans, PET scan and Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) may also be ordered.

Early stage colon cancer, common treatment approaches include:

Surgery - early stage colon cancer is treated with surgery first.
Chemotherapy if considered after surgery for stage III and certain stage II patients.
Radiation therapy is rarely recommended for early stage colon cancer.

For early stage rectal cancer, common treatment approaches include:

Surgery: stage I rectal cancer is often treated with surgery first.
For stage II and stage III rectal cancers: chemotherapy and radiation therapy are often recommended before surgery.

Depending on the finding at surgery, further chemotherapy, with or without radiation may be recommended, if radiation therapy was not given before surgery.