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Home > Cancer and Treatments > Gastrointestinal Cancers Colorectal Cancer
DefinitionColon or rectal cancer is an uncontrolled growth of cells in the colon or rectum. The growth of cells is called a tumor. Another term for this type of cancer is colorectal cancer.Getting Diagnosed / TreatmentColon cancer is treated in the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center's Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer ClinicRead more about
Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer Clinic
View the list of Gastrointestinal physicians; this link opens to a page on the UMHS website. OverviewThe colon and rectum are 2 sections of the large intestine. The tumor disrupts blood vessels in the colon or rectum. It can cause bleeding in the early stages. In later stages it can cause a change in bowel habits and block normal bowel function.Most colon cancers can be detected early or even prevented through screening. Yet colon cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death in the country because not everyone who should get screened does. It is important to diagnose and treat the tumor as soon as possible. If not treated, the cancer can spread through the bowel wall to lymph nodes and other parts of the body. The large intestine is one of the 3 most common sites for cancer to occur. (The other 2 most common sites are the lungs and the breasts.) This type of cancer usually occurs after age 50. Read more about early detection and colon cancer screening on the Colorectal Cancer Information web page. How does it occur?Cancer cells are abnormal cells that grow, change in size and shape, and can continue to grow and spread beyond their original site (metastasize). They sometimes regrow in the same area from which they have previously been surgically removed. Most colorectal cancers arise from a certain type of polyp that forms on the surface of the wall of the colon.There are several suspected, but as yet unproven, causes of colorectal cancer. Because colorectal cancer is more common in countries where people eat highly refined, low-fiber diets, it has been thought that diet may contribute to the disease. Lack of exercise is also a probable cause for this cancer. What are the symptoms?The cancer starts without symptoms. When symptoms do occur they may include:blood in bowel movements (stools) How is it diagnosed?Your health care provider reviews your symptoms and examines your rectum and abdomen. A sample of a bowel movement may be tested for the presence of blood.Procedures called sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy allow your health care provider to look at the inside of the colon and rectum. Before these tests you take a laxative to clean your bowel. A sedative to help you relax during the test is usually recommended. During a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy your health care provider inserts a slim, flexible, fiber-optic scope into your rectum to view the inside of your colon. Your provider may remove a small piece of any tissue that looks abnormal to examine and test it for cancer (a test called a biopsy). Your health care provider may instead do a procedure called a barium enema. In this procedure you are given an enema that contains dye. X-rays are then taken that show the inner contour of the colon. If the x-ray images show a polyp or cancer, you will need to have a colonoscopy to get a sample of tissue (biopsy) for examination and tests in the lab. How is it treated?Your health care provider will determine the stage of the cancer, from early to advanced. Your provider may suggest surgery and do more tests to see if the cancer has spread to other organs. The stage (or amount of spread) of the cancer determines the treatment choices and the future course of the illness.The tumor or any organs or parts of organs that are affected by the tumor may be removed with surgery. The surgeon may cut out the section of the colon that has the cancer and then rejoin the ends of the intestine. This procedure is called resection and reanastomosis. In another procedure called a colostomy, the surgeon removes the cancerous portion of the colon, makes an opening in the abdominal wall, and attaches the healthy end of the shortened colon to the opening in the outside wall of the abdomen. After this procedure you will pass bowel movements through this opening. You will wear a colostomy bag outside your body and under your clothes to collect bowel movements. A special nurse (called a stomatherapist) will see you before surgery and help you after surgery to adjust to the colostomy. In some cases the colostomy is temporary and at other times it is permanent. How long will the effects last?In some cases the cancer may be cured with surgery alone. You may need additional treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, to prevent or treat the spread of cancer to other vital organs.Your chance of cure depends on how far the cancer has advanced. When a cancer is removed before it has spread into the wall of the colon, more than 90% of people survive 5 years or longer. This percentage decreases if the cancer has spread at the time of surgery. If you have a colostomy, your health care team will help you adapt to living with a colostomy. Your health care provider may suggest dietary changes to restrict gas-forming and odor-causing foods such as beans, eggs, fish, and carbonated drinks. Most people lead healthy, active lives with colostomies. How can I take care of myself?Follow the treatment that you and your health care provider determine, and seek the advice of other health professionals as needed. In addition, maintain a lifestyle that allows you to:Get enough rest and sleep. If you have a colostomy:
What can be done to help prevent colorectal cancer from occurring or recurring?To prevent or detect recurrence of the cancer, follow the guidelines your health care provider gives you. Also, you should:
For more information on cancer, contact national and local organizations such as: American Cancer Society, Inc. See also: updated 12/2005 |
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March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Learn about colorectal cancer In the news: See Also:
University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center This site is part of the U-M Health System. The information presented is not a tool for self diagnosis or a substitute for professional care. © 2008 U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center |
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