Colon Cancer Treatment

Most colon cancers start as a polyp, a small, abnormal tissue growth in the colon. In the earliest stages of colon cancer—stage 0 and sometimes stage 1—you may have a polypectomy to remove a polyp that contains cancerous cells. A polypectomy can be performed during a colonoscopy procedure, where your doctor uses a scope to view the polyp and remove it.

Endoscopic mucosal resection removes an area of colon cancer without an abdominal incision. Like a polypectomy, this procedure is performed during a colonoscopy. Endoscopic mucosal resection is used in the early stages of colon cancer. During a local excision, your doctor removes the cancerous polyp and some healthy tissue surrounding it.

A colectomy removes part of the colon or the entire colon and nearby lymph nodes. It’s sometimes called colon resection surgery. Traditional open colectomy uses a single incision in the abdomen. You may also have the option of laparoscopic surgery, which uses smaller incisions, or robotic surgery.

When you have a colectomy, your care team will take steps to reconnect your digestive tract to allow you to pass stool the natural way. Usually, this can be done without an ostomy (such as a colostomy or ileostomy) by using anastomosis to connect the remaining pieces. For example, an ileocolonic anastomosis connects the end of the small intestine to the remaining part of the colon.

• Total colectomy: The term total colectomy means the entire colon is removed. This type of surgery is not as common in colon cancer treatment, but it might be recommended if polyps or cancer are found throughout the colon or if the cancer is due to a genetic familial condition.
• Partial colectomy: Often, your care team only removes part of the colon, called a segmental colectomy. In most cases, this surgery removes about 1/4 to 1/3 of the colon.
• Hemicolectomy: A hemicolectomy is a partial colectomy that removes one side of the colon. You may have a right hemicolectomy or a left hemicolectomy, depending on where the cancer is in the colon.
• Proctocolectomy: During a proctocolectomy, the colon and the rectum are surgically removed. To pass stool through the anus, your surgeon can create an ileal pouch to replace the function of the removed intestinal tract.

Radiofrequency ablation is an alternative treatment for individuals who are not suitable candidates for surgery or when colon cancer has spread to the liver. It uses high-frequency radio waves via a probe to generate heat and eliminate cancer cells in the liver.

When colon cancer can’t be removed by traditional surgery or spreads to the liver, cryosurgery is another option. This procedure uses a probe and very cold temperatures to freeze cancer cells and the tissue around the cancer in the liver.