* In the early stages, the main treatment will be surgery to remove the tumour and surrounding tissue. In some cases, no further treatment will be needed, as the cancer will have been removed. Depending on individual circumstances, the surgeon might be able to reconnect the intestines after removing the tumour and thus avoid the need for a
colostomy. This is not always possible however, and a
temporary or permanent colostomy might be required in some people.
* Sometimes, it may be necessary to use other forms of treatment in combination with surgery to reduce the chance of the cancer coming back.
* In both cancer of the colon and rectum,
chemotherapy may be given in case any cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body. These powerful medicines work by killing cancer cells by stopping them from dividing and growing.
* In rectal cancer,
radiotherapy, which also stops tumour cells from dividing and growing, may also be used as this has been shown to be beneficial to some patients.