Educational articles on rectal cancer, treatment updates and advice for patients.
Most rectal bleeding is not cancer — the risk is between 2.4% and 11%. But hemorrhoids do not rule cancer out, and the difference cannot be told at home. What each type of bleeding means and when it has to be investigated.
No. No blood test rules out rectal cancer, and CEA is not a screening test — its sensitivity is lowest exactly in the early stages, where it would matter. What blood tests do show, what iron-deficiency anaemia means, and which test actually works.
Without sedation, 14.2% of patients feel pain. With deep sedation the figure drops to 20% versus 50% under conscious sedation. The hard part is not the examination, it is the preparation. What is seen in the rectum, and why MRI follows if something is found.
Roughly 1 in 25 patients with colorectal cancer has Lynch syndrome. Lifetime risk of colorectal cancer reaches 50-70%, against about 4% in the general population. Testing is done on the existing biopsy and changes surveillance for the whole family.
In one study, all 42 patients with dMMR rectal cancer treated with dostarlimab had a complete clinical response, with no surgery and no radiotherapy. The result is real, but it applies to a minority: only 5-10% of rectal cancers are dMMR/MSI-H.
85% of recurrences appear within the first three years, most within two. Local recurrence after a proper mesorectal excision has fallen to 4-10%. Why follow-up is frequent early on, and why a recurrence found early may still be operable with curative intent.
Stage 4 is not one single situation. After resection of liver metastases, five-year survival is 40-50%, and in those who respond well to chemotherapy it reaches 64%. When surgery is done with curative intent and when the goal becomes something else.
In most cases, yes. A permanent stoma has become the exception, not the rule. What actually decides whether the sphincter can be preserved, why the old 2 cm rule no longer holds, and the trade-off that is discussed far too little.
Five-year survival in rectal cancer: 90% when localised, 74% once lymph nodes are involved, 18% with distant metastases. What those numbers actually mean, why they are more pessimistic than today's reality, and why they do not describe any one person.
A polyp under 1 cm carries a cancer risk below 1%. Over 1 cm it reaches 2.6%. Transformation takes 7-15 years, and that long interval is exactly why colonoscopy works. What is specific about rectal polyps and when they can be dealt with locally.
Pelvic radiotherapy can cause permanent infertility. The decision to preserve fertility has to be made before treatment starts: options, real numbers and how much time you actually have.
Learn what rectal cancer is, the warning signs, the causes and risk factors. Essential information for early detection and prevention.
What are the main differences between colon cancer and rectal cancer? Treatment, surgery, radiotherapy and prognosis — a complete comparison.
Complete guide to rectal cancer staging: TNM classification, what each stage means, recommended treatment and prognosis for each stage.
The role of pelvic MRI in the diagnosis and staging of rectal cancer. What it shows, how it is done and why it is essential before treatment.
Everything you need to know about TME surgery for rectal cancer: surgical technique, types of operation, risks, recovery and long-term outcomes.
Complete guide to neoadjuvant radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer: treatment schedules, side effects, duration and outcomes.
What LARS (Low Anterior Resection Syndrome) is, what symptoms it causes, how long it lasts and how it is treated. Complete guide for patients after rectal cancer surgery.
A complete practical guide to living with a temporary ileostomy after rectal cancer surgery: care, nutrition, daily activities and preparing for closure.
Complete nutritional guide after rectal cancer surgery: recommended foods, foods to avoid, staged diet and practical tips for recovery.
What the Watch and Wait strategy means in rectal cancer, when it applies, what monitoring involves and what the long-term outcomes are.
Complete guide to chemotherapy in rectal cancer: FOLFOX and CAPOX regimens, side effects, treatment duration and how to manage symptoms.
Complete preoperative preparation guide: ERAS protocol, nutrition, exercise, psychological preparation and what to expect at the hospital.
Everything you need to know about closing a temporary ileostomy: the optimal time, how the operation is performed, recovery and what to expect.
Complete guide to Kegel exercises and biofeedback for continence recovery after rectal cancer surgery: correct technique, training program and outcomes.
Why more young adults are diagnosed with rectal cancer: causes, ignored symptoms, differences from older patients and the importance of early diagnosis.
Complete guide to colorectal cancer screening: types of tests, colonoscopy, stool tests, the age to start and recommended frequency.
What CEA and CA 19-9 tumor markers mean in rectal cancer: normal values, when they are measured, what an elevated CEA means, and their role in post-treatment monitoring.
Everything you need to know about robotic surgery in rectal cancer: how the Da Vinci robot works, advantages over laparoscopy, outcomes and availability.
Complete guide to sexual and urinary dysfunction after rectal cancer surgery: causes, frequency, treatment and recovery — information for men and women.
A practical guide on how to share a rectal cancer diagnosis with family, children and friends: communication tips, managing emotions and support resources.