| In order to see how to treat colorectal | | | | other affected organs. |
| cancer doctors must first stage the cancer. | | | | |
| This can be made after three systems: Dukes, | | | | Surgery for colon cancer refers to removing |
| Astler-Coller and AJC/TNM. | | | | the cancerous part of the colon and then |
| | | | reconnecting the two ends of the colon. Also, |
| The classification of cancer after AJC/TNM | | | | the nearby lymph nodes and a part of the |
| is: | | | | normal tissue will be removed too. Some of |
| | | | the early stages of colon cancer can be |
| Stage 0: the cancerous tumor affects only the | | | | resolved during colonoscopy. The patient will |
| inner layer of the colon or the rectal | | | | recover after a period of time that varies |
| lining. The indicated treatment is surgery, | | | | with age, general health and the cancer's |
| for removing tumors and polyps. No further | | | | extension. |
| treatment is necessary. | | | | |
| | | | Surgery for rectal cancer will be made after |
| Stage I: the tumor has spread deeply in the | | | | chemotherapy and radiotherapy if the cancer |
| inner line of the colon or rectum but has not | | | | is in an advanced stage. |
| broken through the colon wall yet. The | | | | |
| recommended treatment is surgery with no | | | | If the cancer is caused by polyps they must |
| other additional treatment after the surgery. | | | | be removed by a procedure called Polypectomy. |
| | | | A local excision can be made in other cases |
| Stage II: the tumor has broken through the | | | | and will remove superficial cancers from the |
| colon wall but has not spread to the lymph | | | | inner layer of rectum along with some health |
| nodes yet. Surgery is indicated and | | | | tissue from nearby. Frequently a low anterior |
| chemotherapy or radiotherapy is needed in | | | | resection can be made in order to treat |
| some cases. | | | | colorectal cancers but the tumor must not be |
| | | | situated very close to the anal sphincter. |
| Stage III: the lymph nodes are affected by | | | | Other solutions are the abdominoperineal |
| the tumor. In colon cancer chemotherapy is | | | | resection and in the most desperate cases |
| needed after surgery; in rectum cancer | | | | when other organs are involved the pelvic |
| chemotherapy or radiotherapy is made before | | | | exenteration will be applied. |
| or after the surgery. | | | | |
| | | | Going to regularly check-ups and seeing your |
| Stage IV: the cancer has spread and affected | | | | doctor from the first symptoms of colorectal |
| other organs like lungs and liver. In this | | | | cancer you can treat cancer from its |
| case chemotherapy and radiotherapy will be | | | | beginnings, avoid complications during |
| applied both in order to stop the rectum from | | | | drastic therapy and recover faster from the |
| being blocked. Sometimes surgery will be | | | | disease. |
| needed in order to remove the tumors from the | | | | |