Bowel cancer can be treated effectively if detected early when tumors are small and removed with surgery. The usual approach to bowel cancer treatment is as follows:
• Chemotherapy – sometimes bowel cancers can be shrunk by this technique before surgery is undertaken to improve outcomes with chemotherapy treatment applied daily for four to five weeks with a 12-week break before surgery is performed.
• Surgery – this is the most common approach to the bowel and is most effective before it has spread to other parts of the body.
• Staging – once cancer and surrounding tissue in the bowel has been removed through surgery, medical staff can determine to which stage cancer has progressed.
• Post-surgery – once the analysis of cancer has been completed after surgery and the stage of cancer has been determined additional treatment may be required (such as chemotherapy).
