TEST TODAY.

Surgery is the most common treatment for colorectal cancer.¹ The surgeon’s approach to surgery for colorectal cancer varies based on the cancer stage.²

For early-stage colorectal cancer, the surgeon might remove the cancerous growth or a portion of the colon’s inner lining.³

In more advanced cases, the surgeon could remove the affected part of the colon or rectum along with nearby lymph glands to ensure all cancer cells are taken out.³ Minimally invasive or laparoscopic surgery, where small incisions are used, might be done to lessen post-surgery pain and speed up recovery, but it’s not suitable for all cases.²

Chemotherapy or radiotherapy might be used before or after surgery.

Radiotherapy employs powerful X-rays to eliminate cancer cells, aiming to spare healthy cells. It’s often used post-colorectal surgery to eliminate lingering cancer cells and prevent recurrence. Additionally, it can shrink rectal tumors prior to surgery.⁴

Chemotherapy employs potent drugs to destroy cancer cells. After colon surgery, it’s administered if the cancer is extensive or has spread to lymph nodes, eliminating remaining cells and reducing the chance of recurrence.

Before surgery, it can shrink large cancers to make removal easier.

For inoperable or cancers that had spread, chemotherapy can alleviate symptoms and might be combined with radiation.⁵

Immunotherapy employs the patient’s immune system (white blood cells) to combat cancer.⁵ It enhances the body’s natural defenses, both those produced naturally and those created in a lab, to bolster the immune system’s ability to locate and eliminate cancer cells. This approach can be applied to various cancer types, either as a standalone treatment or in conjunction with chemotherapy or other cancer therapies.⁶

Targeted therapy employs drugs that target specific chemicals in cancer cells, causing them to die by blocking those chemicals. It’s often combined with chemotherapy and is commonly used for individuals dealing with advanced colon cancer.⁷