Rectal Cancer Treatment

The choice of rectal cancer treatment or treatments will depend on the stage of the disease and the general physical condition of the patient.

• Surgery
  Surgery is the most frequent treatment for all stages of rectal cancer.
  • Local Excision
    If cancer is found at an early stage, it can be removed without cutting through the abdominal wall.

  • Polypectomy
    Local excision of a cancerous polyp or polyps in the rectum is called a polypectomy. The procedure is the same as that for small tumors on the rectum wall.

  • Resection and Anastomosis
    Larger tumors may require a resection of the rectum which is removal of the tumor and a section of healthy tissue surrounding it. It is often possible to attach the remaining section of the rectum to the anus or the colon, a procedure called anastomosis.

  • Resection and Colostomy
    When some larger tumors are removed with a resection of the rectum it may not be possible to reattach it to the anus or colon. In those cases a stoma (an opening in the body) is made for waste to pass through into a colostomy bag. In some cases, the colostomy may be reversed after the rectum has healed. When the entire rectum has been removed the colostomy is usually permanent.

• Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy
  IMRT used high-energy X-rays to destroy cancer cells. Thompson Cancer Survival Center was one of the first facilities in the world to treat patients with intensity modulated radiation therapy. Since 1998 more than 1,000 patients have received IMRT treatment at Thompson. In IMRT the multileaf collimator reshapes the treatment field between individual doses of radiation.

• Chemotherapy
  Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells or block their growth.

• Biological Therapy
  Biological therapy for colon cancer is still in the experimental phase. This therapy uses substances made or introduced into the body to strengthen the immune system to fight cancer.