Colorectal Cancer Treatment
When it comes to colorectal cancer, there is not a singular form of treatment that is used on all cases. There are many types of treatment that can be used in many combinations, depending on your exact case.
This means that in the treatment of colorectal cancer, your doctor must be competent in two ways:
- Creation of a treatment program that will most effectively tackle the cancer, and
- Once the program is created, the delivery of treatment with skill and care
At the Colorectal Center Los Angeles, both aspects of your cancer care are kept firmly in mind. Our colorectal surgeons collaborate on your case, and even use outside specialists when necessary. The purpose is to ensure that your treatment program is geared towards your case specifically.
Treatment by stage
One of the primary factors that will determine your treatment is the stage of the colorectal cancer. Earlier stages may only require surgery to remove a cancerous polyp, while later stages may use chemotherapy to manage cancerous cells that have spread to nearby organs.
Because the Colorectal Center Los Angeles is not itself a cancer facility, we work closely with renowned cancer centers to give you the very best in colorectal care. Our doctors will carefully coordinate each aspect of your treatment along the way, ensuring your experience is comfortable and effective as possible. This comprehensive and collaborate approach goes towards our goal of giving you the best colorectal cancer treatment Los Angeles has available.
Below is each stage of colorectal cancer, as well as standard treatment for each stage.
Stage 0
Definition: Stage 0 colorectal cancer is still isolated to the inner lining of the colon, and usually takes the form of a small polyp.
Treatment: Removal of the polyp is often the only treatment necessary. This is usually done with a routine colonoscopy. In some cases, the polyp may have grown large enough to be called a tumor, in which case a more invasive surgery called a colon resection would be needed.
Stage I
Definition: Stage I colorectal cancer has spread beyond the inner lining of the colon wall. While it is now within the colon wall, it has not spread beyond the wall.
Treatment: Stage I colorectal cancer requires removing the cancerous section of the colon, called a partial colectomy. Because the cancer has not spread beyond the colon, there is no other treatment necessary—partial removal of the colon is considered curative.
Stage II
Definition: Stage II colorectal cancer has spread beyond the colon wall into nearby tissue. This nearby tissue does not include lymph nodes.
Treatment: In many cases, surgery to remove the cancer may be the only treatment needed. In some cases, the colorectal specialists at the Colorectal Cancer Los Angeles may also use chemotherapy if there is a higher risk of the cancer returning. Additionally, radiation therapy may be used to kill any cancer cells remaining after surgery.
Stage III
Definition: Stage III colorectal cancer has spread to other tissues, including nearby lymph nodes. It has not, however, begun to affect other organs in the body.
Treatment: A combination of partial colon removal along with chemotherapy is standard treatment for this stage of colorectal cancer. As with stage II, radiation therapy may also be recommended for a complete cleanup of remaining cancerous cells. For patients are not well enough to undergo surgery at this stage, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are options.
Stage IV
Definition: Stage IV colorectal cancer has spread to other organs beyond the colon. This may include the liver, which is directly next to the colon, or it may include the lungs, stomach or distant lymph nodes.
Treatment: Because the cancer has burrowed into many critical tissues, surgery may not be an option. In this case, the colorectal specialists at the Colorectal Center Los Angeles will explore options to shrink the tumors to allow for surgery. This is always the first goal, as surgical removal is the most likely procedure to cure the cancer. Treatment to shrink the tumor is usually done with chemotherapy.
There are many other forms for stage IV colorectal cancer, and this is where treatment truly becomes an art. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, cryosurgery (freezing) and radiofrequency ablation may all be used in varying combinations. It is crucial that you have a doctor who can properly assess which treatment methods will be most successful—it may make a difference in the outcome. By coming to the colorectal center Los Angeles, you are putting yourself in among the most capable hands in this field.
