How to surgically treat colorectal cancer?

Colorectal cancer surgery, usually performed in space to time as small as possible from diagnosis. While it is very important to make a correct preoperative and extension study before considering intervention, because sometimes, according to local stadium or the distance of the tumor, the treatment regimen can be altered.

This can occur, for example, in cases of locally advanced rectal cancer, which is usually done neoadjuvant therapy, ie preoperative radiotherapy and / or chemotherapy associated.

Also in cases of widespread disease to other organs, it is sometimes necessary to chemotherapy, and then evaluate the intervention of colorectal carcinoma. Anyway, it is important early assessment by the surgeon and the team to decide the best treatment strategy for each case.

Before surgery for colorectal cancer

Classically, prior to surgery of any colorectal pathology, needed to undergo full bowel preparation, ie, absolute diet and taking different cathartic solutions (laxatives) to clean the colon, as is done prior to colonoscopy, by example.

However, lately the trend in colon surgery is moving away from this preparation to less aggressive schemes, without making full preparation of the colon, thus avoiding electrolyte disturbances and preoperative dehydration, as proposed in the most modern rehabilitation protocols multimodal or Fast-Track protocols.

Major surgical techniques in colorectal cancer

The techniques used will depend mainly on the type and location of the tumor and patient characteristics, ie must adapt the technique to each patient and not make the mistake of using the same surgery for everyone, because, obviously, every patient is different.

What is evidence is that if there is no contraindication to its use, minimally invasive surgery (either conventional laparoscopy or approach through single port) presents the same results oncological level (control of tumor disease) but best results in terms of recovery, less pain, high earlier, and less surgical wound complications, such as infection or hernias at this level, so it should be considered choice to take whenever possible.

Colorectal Cancer Surgery: Understanding

The intervention consists basically perform a resection of the colon or rectum, including the tumor, with adequate safety margins, and also to perform a lymphadenectomy (lymph tissue where the tumor drains) to get a correct oncological surgery, and to make a correct final diagnosis to decide whether to associate other treatment.

Postoperative colorectal cancer surgery

Postoperative will depend on many factors, but basically aims to reintroduce food in 24-48 hours and ambulation (getting up and walking) at an early stage. Hospitalization time varies according to the type of surgery, but can range from four to seven days depending on the intervention and whether or not complications appear, which can alter this surgery.

It should be noted that laparoscopic surgery has helped to shorten both the time of hospitalization and recovery of prior state, but, as already mentioned, will depend on many factors, whether dependent patient or surgical technique.