Rectal cancer is 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 your 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.

What Are the Symptoms Of Rectal Cancer?

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 diarrhea, narrow shaped stools, or blood in your stool. You may also have pelvic or lower abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, or feel tired all the time. Other common health problems can cause the same symptoms. Hemorrhoids do not cause rectal cancer but can produce similar symptoms. Anyone with these symptoms should see a doctor to be diagnosed and treated as early as possible. Abdominal pain and weight loss are typically late symptoms, indicating possible extensive disease.

What are the types of rectal cancer ?

Most rectal cancers about 95 percent are adenocarcinoma . These tumors typically start as a polyp, or a growth in the lining of the rectum. Polyps may be removed during a colonoscopy.

Other types of rectal cancer include:

– Gastrointestinal stromal tumors

– Carcinoid tumors

– Lymphoma

What are the risk factors for rectal cancer?

The cause of rectal cancer is unknown, but the risk of developing the disease increases with age. People with a family history of colorectal cancer or certain hereditary cancer syndromes have a higher risk. Other known risk factors for rectal cancer include:

Smoking
Alcohol use
Obesity

How is the rectal cancer diagnosed ?

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 & a blood test (CEA) prior to starting the treatment.

How is rectal cancer treated ?

Rectal cancer is treated with multimodality approach that is combination of surgery, chemotherapy & radiation therapy.

When detected at a very early stage, the surgeon will recommend surgery followed by chemoradiation (if required).

For tumours that are little advanced, the surgeon will recommend chemoradiation first followed by Surgery. There are two types of rectal surgery : LAR & APR. Your doctor will advise you an operation that is appropriate for you.

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