Colon Cancer

Overview

Mayo Clinic physicians are among the world's most experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of colon cancer, including rare genetic forms of the disease such as FAP (familial adenomatous polyposis), Lynch syndrome and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. Mayo Clinic is also a major colon cancer screening center, performing more than 35,000 colonoscopies and several thousand virtual colonoscopies each year.

At the Mayo Clinic Colorectal Neoplasia Clinics in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota, specialists in oncology, gastoenterology, medical oncology, colorectal surgery, interventional radiology, medical genetics and nutrition work together to address the complex needs of colon cancer patients. This collaborative team approach ensures that every person who comes to Mayo Clinic receives the most comprehensive, innovative and supportive care possible. Mayo physicians understand the difficulties of living with a cancer diagnosis, and the clinic provides a number of support services for patients and families before, during and after treatment.

Screening and Diagnosis

Colon cancer can be cured or prevented if cancerous changes and precancerous polyps — small clumps of cells that form on the lining of the colon — are found and treated in the early stages. Advances in screening techniques — some pioneered at Mayo Clinic — make early diagnosis easier. Read more about colon cancer diagnosis.

Treatment

See an animation (478 K) of a laparoscopic surgery.

Surgery is the most common treatment for colon cancer. With one of the world's largest colon and rectal surgery practices, Mayo Clinic offers advanced surgical and minimally invasive (laparoscopic) options that not only treat disease but also help preserve normal function. Mayo Clinic's colorectal surgeons are among the nation's most experienced and successful in laparoscopic procedures, performing hundreds of these surgeries every year. Learn more about colon cancer treatment at Mayo Clinic.

Research

Mayo Clinic's long-standing collaboration with the National Institutes of Health has created an environment that fosters creative research and allows Mayo to participate in hundreds of gastroenterology-related studies. Research conducted at Mayo Clinic has led to advanced laparoscopic surgical techniques and drugs that may someday help prevent colon cancer from developing.

Mayo Clinic also maintains a Colorectal Cancer Prevention Registry to identify and send educational materials to patients at high risk of colorectal cancer based on their personal and family histories.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is ranked No. 1 in Digestive Disorders in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings.

• Treatment in Arizona
• Treatment in Florida
• Treatment in Minnesota

About Colon Cancer

Colon cancer develops in the large intestine (colon), the muscular tube that forms the last part of your digestive tract. Most cases of colon cancer begin as small clumps of cells called adenomatous polyps. Although the vast majority of polyps are benign, some can become cancerous over time. Regular screening tests to find and remove premalignant polyps represent the most effective approach to prevent cancer from developing.

Read more about colon cancer.