There are treatments for all patients with cancers of the colon or rectum. Four kinds of treatment used include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or biological therapy. Surgery is the most common treatment for colorectal cancer. The type of operation depends on the location and the size of the tumor. Most patients have a partial colectomy, where the surgeon takes out the part of the colon or rectum that contains the cancer and a small amount of healthy tissue around it.
Surgery is often the only treatment needed for early stage colorectal cancer.
During a colostomy, the doctor creates an opening in the abdomen through which solid waste leaves the body. Chemotherapy uses medications to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy is sometimes given after surgery to try to prevent the disease from spreading. This additional therapy is called adjuvant therapy. Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to damage cancer cells and stop them from growing.