This information represents the views of the doctors and nurses serving on the American Cancer Society's Cancer Information Database Editorial Board. These views are based on their interpretation of studies published in medical journals, as well as their own professional experience.

The treatment information in this document is not official policy of the Society and is not intended as medical advice to replace the expertise and judgment of your cancer care team. It is intended to help you and your family make informed decisions, together with your doctor.

Your doctor may have reasons for suggesting a treatment plan different from these general treatment options. Don't hesitate to ask him or her questions about your treatment options.

The 4 main types of treatment for colorectal cancer are:

• surgery
• radiation therapy
• chemotherapy (often called just "chemo")
• targeted therapies (called monoclonal antibodies)

Depending on the stage of your cancer, 2 or more types of treatment may be used at the same time, or used one after the other.

Take your time and think about all of your treatment choices. You may want to get a second opinion. This can give you more information and help you feel better about the treatment plan you choose. Your chances of having a good outcome are highest in the hands of a medical team that has experience in treating colorectal cancer.

Surgery

The types of surgery used to treat colon and rectal cancers differ and are described separately.

Colon surgery

Surgery is often the main treatment for earlier stage colon cancer. The surgery is called a colectomy or a segmental resection. Usually the cancer and a piece of normal colon on either side of the cancer (as well as nearby lymph nodes) are removed. The 2 ends of the colon are then sewn back together. For colon cancer, a colostomy (an opening on the belly for getting rid of body wastes) is not usually needed, although sometimes a short-term colostomy may be done to let the colon heal. The normal hospital stay for this surgery is 4 to 7 days, depending on your overall health.

Most often, surgery is done through a cut (incision) in the belly (abdomen), but for some earlier stage cancers a different approach might be an option. In laparoscopic-assisted colectomy, instead of one long incision in the abdomen, the surgeon makes several small ones. Special long instruments are put into these small openings and used to remove part of the colon and lymph nodes. This method seems to be about as likely to cure the cancer as the standard approach for earlier stage cancers, and patients usually recover faster than they do after the usual operations. But the surgery calls for special skill. If you are thinking about laproscopic surgery, be sure to look for a skilled surgeon who has done a lot of these operations.

Some very early colon cancers (stage 0 and some early stage I tumors) or polyps can be removed using a colonoscope (the same thin, flexible scope used to do a colonoscopy). When this is done, the surgeon does not have to cut into the abdomen. Early stage cancers that are only on the surface of the colon lining can be removed along with a small amount of nearby tissue. For a polypectomy, the cancer is cut out across the base of the polyp's stalk, the area that looks like the stem of a mushroom.

Rectal surgery

Surgery is usually the main treatment for rectal cancer, too, although radiation and chemo will often be given before or after surgery. There are several types of surgery for rectal cancer.

Some operations (such as polypectomy, local excision, and local transanal resection) can be done with instruments placed into the anus, without having to cut through the skin. One of these methods might be used to remove stage I cancers that are fairly small and not too far from the anus.

For some stage I, and most stage II or III rectal cancers, other types of surgery may be done. These are described here:

Low anterior resection: This approach is used for cancers near the upper part of the rectum, close to where it connects with the colon. The surgeon makes the cut in the belly. Then he removes the cancer and a small amount of normal tissue on either side of the cancer, along with nearby lymph nodes and a large amount of fatty and fibrous tissue around the rectum. The anus is not affected. After the surgery, the colon is reattached to the anus and waste leaves the body in the usual way. The normal hospital stay for this surgery is 4 to 7 days, depending on your overall health.

Proctectomy with colo-anal anastomosis: For some stage I and most stage II and III rectal cancers in the middle and lower third of the rectum, the entire rectum and the colon attached to the anus will need to be removed. This is called a colo-anal anastomosis (anastomosis means connection). This is a harder operation to do. For a short time, an ostomy (an opening on the belly for getting rid of body wastes) is needed to allow healing after surgery. The usual hospital stay is 4 to 7 days, depending on your overall health. A second operation is needed later to close the ostomy opening.

Abdominoperineal (AP) resection: For cancers in the lower part of the rectum, close to its outer connection to the anus, an abdominoperineal (AP) resection is done. For this the surgeon makes 1 cut in the belly (abdomen), and another in the area around the anus. Because the anus is removed, a colostomy is needed. A colostomy is an opening of the colon in the front of the abdomen. It is used as a way for the body to get rid of solid body waste (feces or stool). The usual hospital stay for an AP resection is 4 to 7 days, depending on your overall health.

Pelvic exenteration: If the rectal cancer is growing into nearby organs, more extensive surgery is needed. In a pelvic exenteration the surgeon removes the rectum as well as nearby organs such as the bladder, prostate, or uterus if the cancer has spread to these organs. A colostomy is needed after this operation. If the bladder is removed, a urostomy (an opening to collect urine) is also needed.

Side effects of colorectal surgery

Side effects of surgery depend on many things, such as the extent of the operation and a person's general health before surgery. Most people will have at least some pain after the operation, but this can usually be controlled with medicines if needed. Eating problems usually get better within a few days of surgery.

Possible side effects of surgery include bleeding, blood clots in the legs, and damage to nearby organs during the operation. Rarely, the connections between the ends of the intestine may not hold together completely and leak, which can lead to infection. If an infection occurs, it is possible that the incision might open up, causing an open wound. Later, after the surgery, you might develop scar tissue in your abdomen (called adhesions) that could block the bowel.

Some people may need a short-term or permanent colostomy (or ileostomy) after surgery. If so, you will need help in learning how to manage it. Specially trained nurses or enterostomal therapists can do this. They will usually see you before your operation and again afterwards for more training. To learn more, please see our documents, Colostomy: A Guide and Ileostomy: A Guide.

Colorectal surgery and sex

If you are a man, an AP resection can cause you to have "dry" orgasms. That is, the feeling of pleasure will most likely still be there, but no semen comes out. In some cases an AP resection may make you unable to have erections or reach orgasm. In other cases your pleasure at orgasm may become less intense. Normal aging may cause some of these changes, but surgery can make them worse.

For some men, the surgery causes the semen to go backward into the bladder. This is not harmful. But if you still want to father a child, you should talk to your doctor about how the surgery will affect you and what might be done to achieve a pregnancy.

If you are a woman having colorectal surgery, you should not normally find any loss of sexual function. Scar tissue may sometimes cause pain or discomfort during sex. And if the uterus is removed, pregnancy will not be possible.

For men and women, a colostomy can affect your body image and your sexual comfort level. While you may need to make some adjustments, it should not keep you from having an enjoyable sex life.

For more information on dealing with the sexual impact of cancer and its treatment please see the American Cancer Society documents, Sexuality for the Man With Cancer and Sexuality for the Woman With Cancer.

Surgery for colorectal cancer that has spread

Sometimes surgery for cancer that has spread to other organs can help you to live longer or, depending on the extent of the disease, may even cure you. If the colorectal cancer has spread to a few areas in liver or lungs (and nowhere else), the cancer can sometimes be removed by surgery.

For spread to the liver, there are other methods besides surgery which might be used to destroy the cancer. These include methods to block the blood supply to the tumor or to destroy the cancer by freezing it or killing it with high-energy radio waves. These methods are not meant to cure the cancer.

Radiation treatment for colon and rectal cancer

Radiation treatment is the use of high-energy rays (such as x-rays) to kill cancer cells or shrink tumors. The radiation may come from outside the body (external radiation) or from radioactive materials put right in the tumor (brachytherapy or internal or implant radiation).

After surgery, radiation can kill small areas of cancer that may be missed during surgery. If the size or place of a tumor makes surgery hard, radiation may be used before the surgery to shrink the tumor. Radiation can also be used to ease symptoms of advanced cancer such as intestinal blockage, bleeding, or pain.

The main use for radiation treatment in people with colon cancer is when the cancer has attached to an internal organ or the lining of the abdomen. If this happens, the doctor can't be sure that all the cancer has been removed, and radiation is used to kill the cancer cells left behind after surgery. For rectal cancer, radiation is also given to prevent the cancer from coming back in the place where it started and to treat local recurrences that are causing symptoms such as pain. Radiation is seldom used to treat metastatic colon cancer.

External-beam radiation therapy: In this treatment, radiation is focused on the cancer from a machine outside the body. This type is most often used for people with colon or rectal cancer. Treatments are given 5 days a week for many weeks. Each treatment lasts only a few minutes, but the setup time -- getting you into place for treatment -- usually takes longer.

A different approach may be used for some cases of rectal cancer with small tumors. A small device can be put into the anus to deliver the radiation. This way the radiation reaches the rectum without passing through the skin and other tissues of the abdomen. This means it is less likely to damage nearby tissues and cause side effects.

Brachytherapy (internal radiation therapy): In this method, small pellets or seeds of radioactive material are placed next to or right into the cancer. The radiation travels only a short distance, limiting the effects on nearby healthy tissues. This method is sometimes used in treating people with rectal cancer, particularly sick or older people who would not be able to go through surgery.

Side effects of radiation therapy

Side effects of radiation therapy for colon or rectal cancer include skin irritation, nausea, diarrhea, trouble controlling your bowels, rectal or bladder irritation, and tiredness. Sexual problems may also occur. Side effects often go away after treatment is over. If you have these or other side effects, talk to your doctor. There are often ways to reduce or relieve many of these problems.

To learn more about radiation therapy, please see the American Cancer Society document, Understanding Radiation Therapy: A Guide for Patients and Families.

Chemotherapy

Chemo is the use of drugs to fight cancer. The drugs may be put into a vein or given by mouth. These drugs enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body, making the treatment useful for cancers that have spread to distant organs.

Chemo is sometimes used before surgery to try to shrink the cancer and make surgery easier. It may also be given after surgery because it can increase the survival rate for patients with some stages of colorectal cancer. Chemo can also help relieve symptoms of advanced cancer and help people live longer.

In some cases, chemo drugs can be put into an artery leading to the part of the body with the tumor. This approach is called regional chemotherapy. Since the drugs go straight to the cancer cells, there may be fewer side effects. Regional chemotherapy is sometimes used for colon cancer that has spread to the liver

Side effects of chemo

While chemo kills cancer cells, it also damages some normal cells and this can cause side effects. These side effects will depend on the type of drugs given, the amount given, and how long treatment lasts. Side effects could include the following:

• diarrhea
• nausea and vomiting
• loss of appetite
• hair loss
• hand and foot rashes and swelling
• mouth sores
• increased chance of infection
• easy bleeding or bruising after minor cuts or injuries
• severe tiredness (fatigue)

Most of the side effects go away when treatment is over. For example, hair will grow back after treatment ends, though it may look different. Anyone who has problems with side effects should talk with their doctor or nurse, as there are often ways to help.

To learn more about chemotherapy, please see our document, Understanding Chemotherapy: A Guide for Patients and Families.

Targeted therapies

Targeted therapies are drugs that attack parts of cancer cells that make them different from normal cells. Because these drugs affect only cancer cells, they often cause fewer side effects than chemo. Man-made proteins called monoclonal antibodies have been approved for use, along with chemo, to treat colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer survival rates

The 5-year survival rate is the percentage of patients who are alive 5 years after their cancer is found (leaving out those who die of other causes). Many of these patients live much longer than 5 years. While the numbers below are among the most current we have, they are from people who were first treated many years ago. Because cancer treatment continues to improve, the survival rates for people now may be higher.

Survival rates for colon cancer by stage

*In this study, survival was better for stage IIIA than for stage IIB. The reasons for this are not clear, and it is not known if this is still the case.

Relative survival rates for rectal cancer by stage

These numbers provide an overall picture, but keep in mind that every person is unique and statistics can't predict exactly what will happen in your case. Talk with your cancer care team if you have questions about your own chances of a cure, or how long you might survive your cancer. They know your situation best.

Last Medical Review: 03/05/2008
Last Revised: 05/07/2009