Rectal Cancer

Overview

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Mayo Clinic is one of the nation's leading centers for the treatment of colorectal cancer, including the use of minimally invasive rectal cancer therapies. The clinic is also a major screening center for both rectal cancer and colon cancer, performing more than 35,000 colonoscopies and several thousand virtual colonoscopies each year.

At Mayo Clinic, specialists in oncology, gastroenterology, radiation oncology, colorectal surgery, interventional radiology, medical genetics and nutrition work together to address the complex needs of people with rectal cancer. This collaborative team approach ensures that every patient receives the comprehensive and supportive care for which Mayo is known. To address the difficulties of living with a cancer diagnosis, an experienced and caring staff also provide support services for patients and families before, during and after treatment.

Screening and diagnosis

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

Treatment

Surgery is the most common treatment for rectal cancers. At Mayo Clinic, almost all colorectal surgeries are performed using minimally invasive (laparoscopic) techniques. An advanced laparosopic procedure — robotic surgery — plays an especially important role in rectal cancer treatment at Mayo Clinic. The result for most patients is a shorter hospital stay, a faster, less painful recovery, and preservation of normal bowel, bladder and sexual function. Mayo colorectal surgeons are among the nation's most experienced and successful in laparoscopic procedures, performing hundreds of these surgeries each year. Learn more about rectal cancer treatment at Mayo Clinic.

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About rectal cancer

Rectal cancer and colon cancer are essentially the same disease. The main difference is location; rectal cancer develops in the rectum, the last 10 inches of your colon. Both cancers 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 to find and remove premalignant polyps is the best way to prevent rectal cancer from developing. Read more about rectal cancer.