Staging
Staging is a process that tells the doctor if the cancer has spread and if it has, how far. The stage of a tumor is an important step in evaluating treatment options.
Stage 0
Click Image to Enlarge.
Description
- Cancer cells found only in inner layer of colon or rectum.
Treatment
- Colon: Surgery (polypectomy or colectomy)
- Rectum: Surgery (polypectomy or transanal resection)
Stage I
Click Image to Enlarge.
Description
- Cancer has grown through several layers of colon or rectum. It has not spread outside outer wall.
Treatment
- Colon: Surgery (colectomy)
- Rectum: Surgery (proctectomy). In some cases followed by chemoradiation.
Stage II
Click Image to Enlarge.
Description
- Cancer has grown completely through outer wall and invaded surrounding tissue. It has not spread to any lymph nodes.
Treatment
- Colon: Surgery. In some cases followed by chemotherapy.
- Rectum: Radiation with or without chemotherapy at the same time and chemotherapy followed by close observation (if all the cancer is cleared) or surgery (proctectomy) if cancer still persists. In cases of rectal cancer characterized by a microsatellite instability-high status, it may be reasonable to consider immunotherapy as a different treatment approach.
Stage III
Click Image to Enlarge.
Description
- Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. It has not metastasized (spread) to other parts of the body.
Treatment
- Colon: Surgery followed by chemotherapy.
- Rectum: Radiation with or without chemotherapy at the same time and chemotherapy followed by close observation (if all the cancer is cleared) or surgery (proctectomy) if cancer still persists. In cases of rectal cancer characterized by a microsatellite instability-high status, it may be reasonable to consider immunotherapy as a non-surgical approach.
Stage IV
Click Image to Enlarge.
Description
- Cancer has metastasized to other parts of the body and distant organs such as the liver or lungs.
Treatment
- Colon & Rectum:Chemotherapy is the primary treatment. In rare cases, immunotherapy. In some cases, depending on certain markers in the tumor, targeted therapies may be effective against the tumor. Surgery and radiation to alleviate symptoms and prevent complications. Surgery and radiation may be used to remove tumors in rare cases.
