Surgical Therapy
If polyps are found at examination, the doctor will recommend colorectal surgery. Removing the colon after polyps begin to develop is the only way to prevent the development of colorectal cancer. The goal of surgery is to completely remove the cancer, alleviating symptoms and offering the best chance of cure. Preoperative evaluations to rule out metastatic disease may include colonoscopy, barium enema, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), CAT scan, chest x-ray, liver, and CEA (for baseline levels). Proctocolectomy and colectomy, demonstrated below, show the difference between having both colon and rectum removed and having just colon removed, while the rectum remains intact.