A colostomy is a surgical procedure which involves creating an opening in the abdominal wall through which the colon passes. A bag is fitted to the opening to collect stool. A small number of patients require a temporary colostomy after surgery. The number of patients who need a permanent one is very low, and the newest surgical techniques have reduced this number to the minimum. High energy X-rays can be used to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
External radiation is delivered by a machine outside the body.
Special drugs can be used to kill cancer cells. The drugs may be taken orally or injected into a vein. Chemotherapy is usually a systemic treatment, meaning the drugs enter the bloodstream, travel through the body and kill cancer cells throughout the body. Recurrence refers to a cancer coming back after it has been treated. In colorectal cancer, the chance of recurrence depends largely on the surgeon's skill in removing the cancer and the lymph nodes involved.