Center of excellence for Rectum(Guda) Cancer Surgery
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Colo-Rectal Cancer Specialist, Ahmedabad
Dr. Harsh J Shah
MS, FMAS, FALS, DNB, MCh
Pancreas, Liver, Gastro & Cancer Surgeon
Dr Harsh Shah is one of the leading colon cancer specialist in India. He has more than 14+ years of experience in cancer treatment. He has successfully performed hundreds of operations for colon cancer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rectal cancer is a cancer that begins in the rectum. The rectum is the last several inches of the large intestine. It starts at the end of the final segment of the colon and ends when it reaches the short, narrow passage leading to the anus.
Cancer inside the rectum (rectal cancer) and cancer inside the colon (colon cancer) are often referred to together as “colorectal cancer.” While rectal and colon cancers are similar in many ways, their treatments are quite different. This is mainly because the rectum sits in a tight space, barely separated from other organs and structures. The tight space can make surgery to remove rectal cancer complex.
In the past, long-term survival was uncommon for people with rectal cancer, even after extensive treatment. Thanks to treatment advances over the last few decades, rectal cancer survival rates have greatly improved.
- Many rectal cancers cause no symptoms at all and are detected during routine screening examinations. The most common symptoms of rectal cancer are a change in bowel habits, such as constipation or diarrhoea, narrow shaped stools, or blood in your stool. patient may also have pelvic or lower abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, or feel tired all the time.
Most rectal cancers (95 %) are adenocarcinoma . These tumors typically start as a polyp, or a growth in the lining of the rectum.
Rectal cancer can be easily diagnosed in a clinic by proctoscopy or sigmoidoscopy. The doctor will usually take a biopsy & sent it to laboratory for pathological examination.
The surgeon may advise a CT scan of the chest/Abdomen, MRI Rectum & a blood test (CEA) prior to starting the treatment.
Rectal cancer
Rectum is the last 15-20 cm of the large intestine. The tumour developing in this area is called rectal cancer.
Symptoms of Rectal Cancer
Rectum is the last 15-20 cm of the large intestine. The tumour developing in this area is called rectal cancer.
Latest Technologies
Latest Technologies
The diagnosis of rectal cancer can be done with help of Proctoscope & biopsy. However, it is always mandatory to perform colonoscopy to look for other such tumour (which can be present) in the remaining large intestine. In colonoscopy, the surgeon introduces a thin tube with a camera on it’s tip to examine inner linings of the large intestine.
The diagnosis of rectal cancer can be done with help of Proctoscope & biopsy. However, it is always mandatory to perform colonoscopy to look for other such tumour (which can be present) in the remaining large intestine. In colonoscopy, the surgeon introduces a thin tube with a camera on it’s tip to examine inner linings of the large intestine.
Staging the cancer helps decide line of treatment. For rectal cancer, surgeon will advice MRI rectum, CT abdomen & chest as well as blood test called CEA. All the results when combined, will help guide the further treatment of rectal cancer.
Rectal cancer is staged from 1 to 4. Stage 1 is the early type, where the cancer is limited to the intestinal wall only. Gradually from stage 1 to stage 4, the cancer increases in size & spreads to the distant part of the body. Stage 4 is also called metastatic disease. Treatment outcomes are best with stage 1 and unfortunately poor with stage 4 rectal cancer.
Rectal cancer treatment is based on the stage of the diseases. The best outcomes are achieved with Chemoradiation followed by operation. Most of the patients are advised such treatment. However, in early cancers the surgeon may advice for an operation prior to chemotherapy.
Rectal cancer treatment is based on the stage of the diseases. The best outcomes are achieved with Chemoradiation followed by operation. Most of the patients are advised such treatment. However, in early cancers the surgeon may advice for an operation prior to chemotherapy.
Rectal Cancer Removal Operation
When the rectal cancer is at least 3 cm from the anal verge, the surgeon can salvage the sphincter & perform connection necessary to pass the stool from the natural route. This procedure involves use of special staplers & surgical dexterity.
When the tumour is located in the distal most part of the rectum, it is usually not possible to preserve the anal sphincter. The surgeon will remove the tumour along with the anus to prevent any future tumour recurrence in the local area. The surgeon will perform an end sigmoid colostomy over the abdominal wall for the stool passage.
In cases where the tumour has grown significantly to block the intestinal lumen, the surgeon may need to perform an operation to temporarily divert the stool. Such procedure is called stoma. It is usually a temporary procedure.
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