Colorectal Cancer Treatment

Being diagnosed with colorectal cancer leads to development of a treatment plan. You face choices in your treatment and need to weigh those options for their benefits, risks and side effects.

How is colorectal cancer treated?

Healthcare professionals use several treatments for colorectal cancer. Which treatment fits your health needs depend on your cancer’s stage and type.

Local treatments, or local therapies, treat your tumor without affecting other parts of your body. These types of local therapies for colorectal cancer include:

• Surgery, whether for colon cancer or rectal cancer
• Radiation therapy
• Ablation or embolization, particularly for early stage cancers

Systemic treatments help colorectal cancer through use of drugs. You take these drugs orally or through your bloodstream. These treatments are called systemic because they travel to cancer cells anywhere in your body. Systemic treatments include:

• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Targeted therapy

Professionals Involved in Your Cancer Treatment

A colorectal cancer treatment team often includes multiple types of doctors. These doctors include:

• Gastroenterologists, doctors treating disorders of the digestive tract
• Surgical Oncologists, doctors performing surgery for treatment of colorectal cancer and other diseases
• Radiation Oncologists, doctors treating cancer using radiation therapy
• Medical Oncologists, doctors using chemotherapy or targeted therapy to treat cancer

A well-rounded cancer treatment team also includes:

• Physician assistants
• Nurse practitioners
• Nurses
• Nutritionists
• Social workers
• Psychologists
• Other healthcare professionals

Many factors determine which professionals participate in your treatment plan. These factors include your health condition, medical history, cancer type, cancer stage, support system and other individual needs.

Making the Right Treatment Decisions for Your Colorectal Cancer

To make the best possible decisions for your best health after colorectal cancer diagnosis, you must consider your treatment goals, options, benefits, risks and side effects. Your doctors and other healthcare professionals work with you to help you make the right decisions for your individual needs. During this process, be sure to ask questions about things you are unsure of or things you do not understand.

Never fear gaining a second opinion about your colorectal cancer and treatment options. A second opinion naturally provides more information and helps you feel confident in your treatment decisions. Doctors understand your need for several viewpoints and to gain a second opinion about your diagnosis and options.