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