Colorectal cancer is increasingly seen in younger patients in India. Screening with colonoscopy from age 45-50 (earlier with risk factors) detects pre-cancerous polyps before they become cancer. Once cancer is established, treatment is staged: early colon cancer is treated with surgery alone; locally advanced rectal cancer typically receives neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery; metastatic disease is managed multidisciplinary with chemotherapy and selective surgery.
Condition
Colorectal Cancer
Also known as: Bowel cancer · Colon cancer · Rectal cancer
Cancer of the colon or rectum. The fourth most common cancer worldwide. Curative-intent surgery, often combined with chemotherapy and radiation, is the standard of care for resectable disease.
Signs and symptoms
When to suspect colorectal cancer
- Change in bowel habit (diarrhoea, constipation, narrow stools)
- Blood in stool or rectal bleeding
- Iron-deficiency anaemia (often the only sign of right-sided cancer)
- Unintentional weight loss
- Abdominal pain or cramping
- Feeling of incomplete evacuation (tenesmus, especially in rectal cancer)
- Fatigue
Risk factors
Who is at higher risk
- Age over 50
- Family history of colorectal cancer or polyposis
- Inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis, Crohn's)
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Diet high in red and processed meat
- Smoking and heavy alcohol use
- Type 2 diabetes
- Lynch syndrome / FAP / hereditary syndromes
Surgical treatment options
Procedures Dr. Reddy performs for colorectal cancer
Colectomy (Hemicolectomy, Sigmoidectomy, Subtotal Colectomy)
Colon Cancer Surgery (Colectomy)
Laparoscopic colon cancer surgery by Dr. Dwarakanath Reddy at Apollo Nellore. Right and left hemicolectomy, sigmoidectomy. Coordinated oncology care.
Low Anterior Resection / Abdominoperineal Resection / TME
Rectal Cancer Surgery
Rectal cancer surgery, TME, low anterior resection (LAR), and abdominoperineal resection (APR), by Dr. Dwarakanath Reddy at Apollo Nellore. Multidisciplinary care with neoadjuvant therapy when indicated.
Related conditions
Others in the same area of practice.
ICD-10 · C15
Esophageal Cancer
Cancer of the oesophagus (food pipe), either squamous cell carcinoma (more common in India) or adenocarcinoma (more common in lower oesophagus, often arising from Barrett's). Curative treatment combines chemoradiotherapy and esophagectomy.
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ICD-10 · C16
Stomach Cancer (Gastric Cancer)
Malignancy of the stomach lining, most commonly adenocarcinoma. Often diagnosed at advanced stages because early symptoms are vague. Curative treatment is gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection, often combined with chemotherapy.
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