Colorectal Cancer Treatment

If you’ve been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, we understand how worrisome that can be. But know that colorectal cancer is one of the most treatable cancers. In fact, when detected early with a screening colonoscopy or another test, five-year survival rates are more than 90%.

Each of our locations in South Jersey is staffed by some of the region’s leading colorectal cancer specialists. Together, this dedicated team — including board-certified gastroenterologists, colorectal surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, highly trained nurses, nutritionists and more — will work with you to create the best possible treatment plan.

You may also have the chance to participate in a clinical trial. Your provider will tell you about any study for which you may be eligible and, if you choose to take part, a team of oncology- and research-certified nurses will help you navigate the process from start to completion.

For more information and to make your appointment, call 1-888-569-1000.

Surgery

Surgery to remove the tumor is the most common treatment for colorectal cancer, especially in the early stages. Part of the healthy colon or rectum and nearby lymph nodes may also be removed.

If the cancer is small and completely contained within a polyp, your doctor may be able to completely remove it during the screening colonoscopy. Other polyps may be removed with a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure, using just a few small incisions in the abdomen.

If the cancer has grown into or through your colon, you may need a procedure called a colectomy, in which the part of your colon that contains the cancer is removed, along with a margin of normal tissue on either side of the cancer .

Whenever possible, AtlantiCare surgeons use the da Vinci^® robotic surgical system, a state-of-the-art, minimally invasive platform. For you, this technology may offer a variety of benefits over traditional open colectomy, including less pain, fewer complications, a quicker return to bowel function and faster recovery.

Less often, some people may need a temporary or permanent colostomy after surgery. This is a surgical opening through which the colon is connected to the abdominal surface to allow waste to exit the body. This waste is collected in a pouch worn by the patient. Our specially trained ostomy nurses can help you learn how to manage the pouch and make any lifestyle adjustments.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is commonly used to treat colorectal cancer because the tumor tends to recur near where it originally started. It can also be combined with chemotherapy to increase effectiveness.

AtlantiCare’s radiation oncologists use the most advanced technology available to target tumors with extreme precision. Treatments include intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), which focus high-dose radiation directly on the tumor while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. We also treat many cancers from the inside with high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy, delivering radiation from small implants located close to the tumor.

Medical Therapies

As part of our whole-body medical oncology program, we offer the latest and most effective chemotherapy options. Chemotherapy for colorectal cancer is usually given after surgery if the cancer has spread to lymph nodes, which may reduce the risk of a cancer recurrence. For advanced cancer that is no longer curable, chemo may be used to help shrink tumors and relieve symptoms.

Other infusion services include:

• Targeted therapy: Uses drugs to help stop cancer from growing and spreading by targeting specific genes or proteins found in cancer or blood vessel cells. Targeted therapy is typically used for people with advanced colorectal cancer.
• Immunotherapy: Uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. Cancer cells are different from normal cells (they change quickly and don’t die normally), and immunotherapy drugs are designed to alert the immune system about these mutated cells so it can locate and destroy them.