Colon and Rectal Cancer: Preventable with Early Screening
A routine screening can readily detect colon cancer, but more than half of Americans who should be screened do not get tested, according to the American Cancer Society. Colorectal cancer, also called colon cancer or rectal cancer, occurs when abnormal cells grow in either the colon or the rectum and bind together to form tumors. The exact cause of most colorectal cancers is not known. But risk factors include poor diet, lack of exercise, and having polyps (precancerous growths) in the colon or rectum areas. Those over age 50 also are at increased risk. Though more than 133,000 cases were diagnosed in 2014, colorectal cancer is one of the most easily prevented cancers.
Virtua offers the most advanced colonoscopy screening for colon cancer. High-definition colonoscopy technology provides greater detail of the lining of the intestine, and emphasizes suspicious growths such as polyps or precancerous lesions that are usually hard to see.
Our cancer treatment program provides leading-edge procedures, including Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery (TEMS). This minimally invasive procedure is successful in the removal of benign or early stage malignant rectal tumors as well as large polyps that cannot be removed by an endoscope.
Colon and Rectal Cancer Treatment at Virtua
If discovered early, colorectal cancer often can be cured with surgery alone. Colon resection surgery, which is used to remove diseased portions of the colon, is often performed using minimally invasive or robotic techniques without the need for open abdominal surgery.With more advanced cancer, the treatment is much more involved and often requires radiation and/or chemotherapy.
Virtua's free colorectal cancer nurse navigation program service pairs you with an oncology nurse who can review your case with you and provide a personalized level of support to help you better understand your diagnosis, care plan and medications.
