The x-rays are taken after the patient is given an enema with a white chalky solution containing barium. The barium outlines the colon and rectum on the x-rays, helping the doctor to find tumors or other abnormal areas. To make small tumors easier to see, the doctor may expand the colon by carefully pumping in air during the test. An examination of the entire colon using a thin lighted tube to check for polyps, tumors or other abnormalities. A pathologist examines the tissue under a microsope to check for cancer cells.
Most polyps are benign, but an examination under a microscope is the only way to know for sure.
The colorectal cancer treatment plan is individualized for each patient depending upon the size and location of the tumors , the stage of the disease, the patient's general health, and other factors. Colorectal cancer is generally treated with surgery , by removing the portion of intestine that contains the cancer. There are a number of surgical procedures currently available for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Surgery is often the only treatment needed for early colorectal cancer. In most instances the surgeon is able to reconnect the healthy small intestine to the remaining rectum .