Treatment

If colorectal cancer is detected and treated early, its cure rate is high.
Doctors will determine the most suitable treatment according to the type of colorectal cancer, its size and position. Other factors, such as possible side-effects of the treatment and the health conditions of the patient will also be considered. Before receiving treatment, a patient should understand the benefits and potential risks of the treatment and make an informed choice.
Colorectal cancer is usually treated by a single method or a combination of methods, which include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
- Surgery
  - Surgical removal of tumours.
  - It may be necessary to make a temporary or permanent opening (stoma) in the abdomen to prevent bowel obstruction and to speed up recovery.
  - In recent years, doctors have used minimally invasive surgical techniques to operate on colorectal cancer. Besides speeding up the patient's recovery, they also make complications less likely.
- Chemotherapy
  - Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer drugs to destroy cancer cells.
  - Targeted therapy is the use of specific drugs to destroy cancer cells, without affecting normal cells.
- Radiation therapy
  
  Radiation therapy is the use of high energy radiation to destroy cancer cells.