What Is Colorectal Cancer Surgery?
Colorectal cancer surgery is a treatment for colorectal cancer. For most people, this treatment involves the surgical removal of a section of the colon, followed by several sessions of chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Surgery is the principal treatment given for both colon and rectal cancers. The types of surgery used are different, however. There are multiple types of colorectal cancer surgery, differentiated by the amount of colon or rectum removed and whether any other nearby tissue also is removed. The main type of colorectal cancer surgery used to treat colon cancer is called a segmental resection, or a colectomy. In this surgical procedure, one or more segments of the colon are removed. This generally involves the removal of the cancerous piece of colon as well as a small amount of healthy tissue on either side. The two ends of the colon are then stitched together.
