Colorectal Cancer

Treatment for Colorectal Cancer

The treatment plan is developed to fit a patient's needs. Treatment for Colorectal Cancer depends on the location of the tumour in the colon or rectum and the stage of the disease . It may involve surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy. Some people have a combination of treatments. Colon cancer sometimes is treated differently from rectal cancer. 
Surgery is the most common treatment of Colorectal Cancer. It treats the cancer in the colon or rectum and the area close to the tumour. A small malignant polyp may be removed from the colon or upper rectum with a colonoscope. Some small tumours in the lower rectum can be removed through the anus without a colonoscope. For a larger cancer, the abdomen has to be opened to remove the tumour and part of the colon or rectum. Some nearby lymph nodes also may be removed. 

Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer drugs to kill cancer cells. The patient may have chemotherapy alone or combined with surgery radiation therapy, or both. Chemotherapy given before surgery is called neoadjuvant therapy. This may shrink a large tumour. Chemotherapy after surgery is called adjuvant therapy. It is used to destroy any remaining cancer cells and prevent the cancer from coming back in the colon or rectum, or elsewhere. Chemotherapy is also used to treat people with advanced Colorectal Cancer. 
Radiation therapy ( also called radiotherapy) uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. It affects cancer cells only in the treated area. Doctors use two types of radiation therapy to treat cancer. Sometimes people receive both types. 

External radiation : The radiation comes from a machine. Most patients go to the hospital or clinic for their treatment, lasting 5 days a week for several weeks. In some cases, external radiation is given during surgery. 

Internal radiation (implant radiation ) : The radiation comes from radioactive material placed in thin tubes put directly into or near the tumour. The patient stays in the hospital, and the implants generally remain in place for several days. They are removed before the patient goes home. 
Most patients with colon cancer are treated surgically. Some need to undergo both surgery and chemotherapy. Although radiation therapy is not commonly used to treat colon cancer, it is sometimes used to relieve pain and other symptoms. 

For all stages of rectal cancer, surgery is the most common treatment. Some patients receive surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Some people have radiation therapy before surgery to shrink the tumour, and some have it after surgery to kill cancer cells that may remain in the area. 

Prevention of Colorectal Cancer

There is no way to completely eliminate the risk of developing Colorectal Cancer. However, there is evidence that the chance of getting Colorectal Cancer can be reduced by observing the following : 

Have a diet rich in fibre - eat plenty of whole grains fruits and vegetables. 
Eat cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and sprouts. 
Consume foods that are low in fat, particularly saturated fat. 
Eat foods that are high in calcium
Exercise regularly. 

Some drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, calcium supplements, and folic acid are being investigated for their role in prevention of Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal Cancer
Symptoms and Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer
Treatment for Colorectal Cancer