Colonic and rectal cancer

1. Big picture

Colorectal cancer (CRC) means malignant epithelial tumour of the colon or rectum, most commonly adenocarcinoma. It is one of the most important surgical oncology topics because surgery is the only potentially curative treatment, but correct management depends on:

1. Tumour location — right colon, left colon, sigmoid, rectum.
2. Stage — local depth, lymph nodes, distant metastases.
3. Emergency presentation — obstruction, perforation, bleeding, peritonitis.
4. Rectal cancer-specific anatomy — mesorectum, sphincter, pelvic nerves, circumferential resection margin.
5. Multimodal treatment — surgery ± chemotherapy ± radiotherapy, especially for