Rectal Cancer Treatment

Overview

If rectal cancer is detected during a screening colonoscopy, additional tests may be completed to determine if the cancer has spread outside the rectum. Utilizing CT, PET, or MRI imaging, your physician can determine the best treatment path for your rectal cancer.

Rectal cancer is traditionally treated using a mix of therapies – surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Due to the location of the rectum, treatment often begins with less invasive options such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy to shrink the size of the tumor and allow for preservation of the anal sphincter. This treatment before surgery is referred to ad neoadjuvant therapy. A skilled Hoag surgeon will then surgically remove the remaining concerning areas of the rectal cancer.

Hoag’s skilled surgical team offers minimally invasive treatment options for rectal cancer, including:

• Laparoscopic surgery
• Robotic-assisted surgery