Colon Cancer Treatment

Overview

If colon cancer is detected during a colonoscopy, additional tests will be performed to determine if the cancer has spread. CT or PETscans may be utilized to help stage the cancer, and help determine the treatment path.

Surgery is the main treatment option for colon cancer. During surgery, the section of the colon that contains the cancerous tumor along with the adjacent lymph nodes will be removed,. Hoag’s skilled surgeons utilize two minimally invasive techniques for colon cancer surgery. These include:

• Laparoscopic surgery
• Robotic-assisted surgery

Both are excellent, effective surgical techniques for safely removing cancer cells. The surgical technique will be selected depending on the patient, their stage of cancer and location.

Once the cancer is surgically removed from the colon, a pathology report will determine if other treatment options are needed, such as chemotherapy. This is called adjuvant therapy – a secondary therapy that follows the primary treatment to improve results.