Bowel cancer treatment depends on the stage (whether
superficial or invasive) and type of the disease, the grade of the tumour (how
aggressive the cells look under the microscope) as well as the patient's age and
overall health. It may be classed as radical - aiming to cure or palliative -
aiming to control symptoms.
Bowel cancer treatment options include:
- Surgery - the most
common bowel cancer treatment option for all stages. Before the major
surgery a biopsy is normally taken. The surgeon usually removes the
malignancy (cancer) via a procedure called a colectomy
. Sometimes if the cancer has spread to the liver further procedures are
required such as ablation
- Chemotherapy - a
therapy using anticancer drugs that aim to stop the growth of malignant
cells either by destroying them or by stopping them from further dividing.
Chemotherapy may be given in a vein by injection or drip, or may be taken by
mouth as a tablet. Chemotherapy is often applied after bowel cancer surgery
(adjuvant), before surgery (neo-adjuvant), or as the primary therapy if
surgery is not recommended (palliative).
- Radiation therapy -
involves a localised treatment (abdomen area) which is used either to shrink
the tumour or follows after the surgery to make sure any malignant cells
that may be left in the area are destroyed. Radiotherapy is most often given
for rectal cancer before surgery. It can be given in 5 fractions with
surgery the following week or 25 fractions with surgery about 6 weeks later.
- Biologic therapies - a
treatment that targets specific biological pathways which prevent the tumour
growing - eg erbitux or avastin
Further general information Your doctors and specialist nurses are in an ideal position to
give you relevant information on your disease and treatment as they know your
individual circumstances. Cancerbackup
has a help line (0808 800 1234) and a prize
winning video available in English, Italian, Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati
& Hindi explaining Radiotherapy & Chemotherapy. Cancernet.co.uk
has over 500 pages describing cancer, its management, practical tips and tool
which patients, their carers and their doctors have found helpful during the
cancer journey.
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