Radiation is also used to alleviate symptoms of advanced cancer, such as intestinal blockages, bleeding or pain. Chemotherapy Chemotherapy is anticancer medication given by mouth or intravenously. Since these drugs travel throughout the body, chemotherapy can treat cancer that has spread beyond the colon. It is usually given together with other drugs that can increase its effectiveness, including leucovorin or levamisole. The treatment corresponds to the stage of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society .
Surgery alone is the standard therapy.
Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, but not beyond. Surgery followed by chemotherapy is recommended. Cancer has metastasized to other organs. Surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy are not expected to cure the cancer, but may be performed to prolong life and ease symptoms. Through the collaborative efforts of the cancer centers throughout the Health Alliance, patients and their families receive the most comprehensive and highest quality cancer care available.