Colon cancer treatment

    Colon cancer treatment often involves surgery to remove cancer. Surgery may be combined with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy.

    Medical review by Mayo Clinic Staff
    Updated: April 14, 2025

    Colon cancer treatments include a range of options, depending on the cancer’s stage and spread.

    Surgery

    Colon cancer treatment usually involves surgery to remove the cancer. Your healthcare team might recommend other treatments, such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy. Your treatment options depend on the cancer’s location and its stage. Your healthcare team also considers your overall health and your preferences when creating a treatment plan.

    • Polypectomy. For small colon cancer that has not spread beyond the colon, the only treatment needed might be a minimally invasive approach, such as polypectomy. A polypectomy involves removing polyps with tools during a colonoscopy. If the cancer is contained within a polyp, removing the polyp may remove all the cancer.
    Polypectomy

    During a polypectomy, specialized tools are placed through a flexible tube called a colonoscope, which is guided into the colon to remove the polyp from the colon's lining.

    • Colectomy. If colon cancer has grown into or through the colon, all or part of the colon may be removed. Surgery to remove part of the colon is called partial colectomy. Surgery to remove the entire colon is called a total colectomy. During colectomy, the surgeon removes the part of the colon that has the cancer. The surgeon also takes some tissue on either side of the cancer. It’s often possible to reconnect the healthy portions of the colon or rectum.

      Colectomy often can be done using a minimally invasive surgery called laparoscopy. In laparoscopy, a surgeon performs the operation through several small cuts called incisions in the abdominal wall. Instruments with attached cameras go through the cuts and show the colon on a video monitor. The surgeon also may take samples from lymph nodes in the area around the cancer.

    Colectomy

    A colectomy is a surgical procedure to remove all or part of the colon, after which the remaining healthy sections are typically reconnected, allowing stools to pass through the colon as usual.

    • Ostomy procedure. Sometimes it’s not possible to reconnect the healthy portions of the colon or rectum after colectomy. The surgeon creates an opening in the wall of the abdomen from a portion of what’s left of the intestine. This procedure, called an ostomy, allows stool to leave the body by emptying into a bag that fits over the opening. Colostomy and ileostomy are common ostomy procedures used in colon cancer treatment.

      Sometimes the ostomy stays only for a short time to let the colon or rectum heal after surgery. Then it’s reversed. Sometimes the ostomy can’t be reversed and stays for life.

    Colostomy

    During colostomy surgery, an opening is made in the belly called a stoma. Part of the colon is brought through the stoma and attached to a pouch outside the body. Stools then pass through the stoma and go into the pouch.

    Surgery to relieve symptoms

    When it’s not possible to remove the cancer with surgery, a surgeon might use surgery to relieve symptoms rather than cure the cancer. This surgery can remove colon blockages and ease symptoms, such as bleeding or pain.

    Surgery for cancer spread

    Colon cancer that has spread to other parts of the body is called metastatic colon cancer. It most often spreads to the liver or lung. But it can spread to other places, such as the brain, distant lymph nodes or the peritoneum, which is the lining of the abdominal cavity.

    Surgery or other localized treatments might remove cancer from distant areas. Chemotherapy might be used before or after this type of procedure. Using a combination of surgery and chemotherapy may provide a chance to be free of cancer over the long term.

    Support group discussions 

    From Mayo Clinic Connect, our online patient community.

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    Chemotherapy

    Chemotherapy uses strong medicines to kill colon cancer cells. Chemotherapy for colon cancer may be given in the following situations:

    • After colon cancer surgery. Chemotherapy usually is given after surgery if the cancer is large or has spread to the lymph nodes. Chemotherapy can kill cancer cells that might be left after surgery. This helps reduce the risk of the cancer coming back. Chemotherapy given after surgery is called adjuvant chemotherapy.
    • Before colon cancer surgery. Chemotherapy might be used before surgery to shrink a large cancer so that it’s easier to remove. Chemotherapy given before surgery is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
    • If surgery is not an option. Chemotherapy can be used to relieve symptoms and slow down the growth of colon cancer that can’t be removed with surgery or that has spread to other areas of the body. Sometimes it’s used with radiation therapy.

    Focused chemotherapy for metastatic colon cancer

    Specialized chemotherapy treatments may be used to treat colon cancer that has spread beyond the colon, called metastatic cancer:

    • Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, also called HIPEC. This is a combination cancer treatment. It’s used for cancer limited to the abdominal cavity lining, called the peritoneum. In this treatment, all the cancer is first surgically removed from the peritoneum. Then the cavity is bathed with hot chemotherapy to kill any microscopic cancer cells that remain.
    • Hepatic artery infusion pump therapy, also called HAIP therapy. This therapy targets colon cancer that has spread to the liver. The process starts with the surgical implantation of a small pump under the skin, typically in the belly. This pump delivers chemotherapy to the liver through an attached catheter that is placed in a branch connected to the liver’s main artery. The liver’s main artery is called the hepatic artery.

    Hepatic artery infusion pump therapy: Surgical treatment for colon cancer that has spread to the liver

    Mayo Clinic surgical oncologist Cornelius A. Thiels, D.O., M.B.A, explains that surgery is often the best option for patients with colon cancer that has spread to the liver. Hepatic artery infusion pump chemotherapy provides a controlled dose of chemotherapy directly to the liver, making surgery an option for some patients.

    [MUSIC PLAYING]

    CORNELIUS A THIELS: I think when it comes to colorectal liver metastases, one of the most important things is trying to get people to surgery, because we do know that surgery is their best chance of a cure. With hepatic artery infusion pump chemotherapy, we're able to offer some of those patients the ability to try to convert them to resectable, meaning convert them to the potential of a curative intent surgery. Hepatic artery infusion pump chemotherapy is where we insert a pump under the skin in the abdomen, and that pump directly connects to the liver. Then, after surgery, patients receive chemotherapy filled into that pump, and then, that chemotherapy slowly goes to the liver over a couple of weeks, and even months after surgery.

    And that's important, because we can now treat tumors that are not currently responding to normal chemotherapy, or tumors that are responding, but we need a better response. We need them to shrink more or prevent them from coming back. And so we think this is a very exciting treatment option for very selected patients in order to try to cure them of their colorectal liver metastases.

    Targeted therapy

    Targeted therapy uses medicines that attack certain chemicals in cancer cells. By blocking these chemicals, targeted treatments can cause cancer cells to die.

    Targeted therapy usually is combined with chemotherapy. Targeted therapy typically is used for people with advanced colon cancer.

    Immunotherapy

    Immunotherapy is a treatment with medicine that helps the body’s immune system kill cancer cells. The immune system fights off diseases by attacking germs and other cells that shouldn’t be in the body. Cancer cells survive by hiding from the immune system. Immunotherapy helps the immune system cells find and kill the cancer cells.

    Immunotherapy usually is used only for people with a special type of colon cancer.

    Radiation therapy

    Radiation therapy uses powerful energy beams to kill cancer cells. The energy can come from X-rays, protons or other sources.

    When surgery isn’t an option, radiation therapy might be used to relieve symptoms, such as pain. Some people have radiation and chemotherapy at the same time.

    Palliative care

    Palliative care is a special type of healthcare that focuses on relieving pain and other symptoms of a serious illness. Palliative care involves a team of healthcare professionals. The team can include doctors, nurses and other specially trained professionals. Their goal is to improve the quality of life for people with serious illnesses and their families.

    Palliative care is an extra layer of support during cancer treatment. When palliative care is used with other cancer treatments, people with cancer may feel better and live longer.

    Clinical trials

    Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.

    Coping and support

    It can be hard to cope with a cancer diagnosis. In time, people learn to cope in their own ways. Until you find what works for you, you might try to:

    • Learn enough about your cancer to make treatment decisions. Ask your healthcare team about the type and stage of your cancer, as well as your treatment options and their side effects. The more you know, the more you’ll be able to take part in decisions about your care. Ask your healthcare team to recommend other sources of information, such as websites you can trust.
    • Keep friends and family close. Keeping people you care about close to you can help you deal with cancer. Friends and family can help you take care of things if you’re in the hospital. And they can offer you support when you feel like you have too much to handle.
    • Find someone to talk with. Find a good listener who will listen to you talk about your hopes and fears. This may be a friend or family member. Talking to a counselor, medical social worker, clergy member or cancer support group also might be helpful.

      Ask your healthcare team about support groups in your area or contact a cancer organization, such as the National Cancer Institute or the American Cancer Society.

    Support group discussions 

    Find more discussions:

    Mayo Clinic Patient StoryInnovative therapy helps one man with cancer pay it forward

    Brian Principe was diagnosed with colon cancer that had spread to his liver. After liver-directed chemotherapy, his tumors have shrunk, and he is helping others prevent the disease.

    Preparing for your appointment

    If you have colon cancer, you’ll likely be sent to specialists who treat the disease. You might meet with:

    • A doctor who treats digestive diseases, called a gastroenterologist.
    • A doctor who uses medicines to treat cancer, called an oncologist.
    • A doctor who removes colon cancer using surgery, called a surgeon or surgical oncologist.
    • A doctor who uses radiation to treat cancer, called a radiation oncologist.

    Here’s some information to help you get ready for your appointment.

    What you can do

    Ask a family member or friend to go to your appointment with you. This person can help you remember the information you’re told.

    Make a list of:

    • Your symptoms and when they began.
    • Key medical information, including other conditions you have and your family medical history.
    • All medicines, vitamins or supplements you take, including doses.
    • Questions to ask your healthcare team.

    Some basic questions to ask include:

    • Where in my colon is my cancer?
    • What is the stage of my colon cancer?
    • Can you explain the lab report of my cancer to me?
    • Can I have a copy of my lab report?
    • Has my colon cancer spread? Where to?
    • Will I need more tests?
    • What are the treatment options for my colon cancer?
    • What is the chance that my colon cancer can be cured?
    • What are the potential side effects of each treatment?
    • How will each treatment affect my daily life?
    • How much time can I take to decide about treatment?
    • Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What websites do you recommend?

    What to expect from your doctor

    Be prepared to answer some basic questions about your symptoms, such as:

    • Have your symptoms been ongoing, or do they come and go?
    • How bad are your symptoms?
    • What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
    • What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?

    Mayo Clinic’s approach to treating colon cancer

    The experts at Mayo Clinic are leading the way in colon cancer treatment. From excelling at standard treatments to inventing new ones, our team is bringing the treatments of tomorrow to patients today.

    We are also a National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, which means our physicians are researchers. They are involved with cutting-edge research and clinical trials that help all people with colon cancer access the latest treatment options.

    At Mayo Clinic, you can expect expert colon cancer care delivered with compassion. Your team is focused on you. They work together, applying their expertise to your situation and collaborating as a team. So while your team fights your colon cancer, you can focus on healing.

    If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with colon cancer, you may be wondering what treatment options you have and what your care plan may look like. At Mayo Clinic, we care for thousands of people with colon cancer each year. We have seen how important it is for each person with colon cancer to find a treatment plan that is personalized, and we're here to help you learn about your options.

    Understanding your unique diagnosis, your overall health status and your treatment options can help you choose the care plan that works best for you. You may even have access to molecular profiling, which is an evaluation of your cancer to better understand the genetic changes that may have contributed to it. Based on your cancer's size and location, your genes and your health history, your colon cancer care plan may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapy, immunotherapy or other specialized treatment options.

    Surgery for colon cancer

    Surgery is a main treatment option for many people with colon cancer. At Mayo Clinic, we have found that colon cancer surgery can provide a cure for some patients.

    If your colon cancer is small and was detected early, surgery may be the only treatment you need. When it's not possible to remove the cancer with surgery, you may have surgery to relieve symptoms rather than cure the cancer. This surgery can remove colon blockages and ease symptoms, such as bleeding or pain. If your colon cancer has spread to other parts of your body — called metastatic colon cancer — you may need surgery to remove cancer from those distant areas.

    Some surgeries can be minimally invasive, which means your surgeon uses several small cuts, also called incisions, to take the cancer out of your body. For these surgeries, doctors use special tools to access and cut away your cancer. Some surgeries also may involve robotic tools that your surgeon controls.

    There are many types of surgery, and the colon and rectal surgeons at Mayo Clinic are continually studying new surgeries and ways to improve existing procedures. They aim to continue improving colon cancer surgery so more people can have successful surgeries with fewer side effects and easier recoveries.

    Polypectomy

    If your cancer is small and has not spread beyond the colon, you may only need a minimally invasive treatment called a polypectomy. A polypectomy happens during your colonoscopy. Your doctor uses special tools to cut away and take out polyps from inside your colon. If your cancer is contained within a polyp, removing the polyp may remove all the cancer.

    At Mayo Clinic, colon cancer experts are studying ways to enhance polyp detection with artificial intelligence (AI). AI-assisted colonoscopies have been shown to help detect and characterize polyps so your care team can find and remove your cancer as early as possible.

    Polypectomy

    During a polypectomy, specialized tools are placed through a flexible tube called a colonoscope, which is guided into the colon to remove the polyp from the colon's lining.

    Endoscopic mucosal resection

    If you have early-stage cancer that is confined to the colon or if you have lesions in your colon that are likely to become cancer, your doctor may recommend an endoscopic mucosal resection. This is a minimally invasive procedure done with tools similar to those used in a polypectomy.

    Colectomy

    If your colon cancer has grown into or through your colon, doctors may remove all or part of your colon in a surgery called a colectomy. During a colectomy, your surgical team removes the part of your colon that has cancer as well as some healthy tissue surrounding the cancer. If only part of your colon is removed, the team usually can reconnect the healthy portions of the colon using a procedure called anastomosis. If your colon cancer also is affecting your rectum, you may need a proctocolectomy, which is a surgery to remove both the colon and the rectum.

    Colectomy can often be minimally invasive surgery. During your colectomy, your care team also takes samples of your lymph nodes to test whether your cancer has spread. It's important to work with a team that is very experienced with colon cancer surgery so you have the best understanding of your cancer's spread. At Mayo Clinic, care teams work in a multidisciplinary setting, which means your surgeon works alongside doctors from other specialties that can help you manage your risk of cancer spread.

    Colectomy

    A colectomy is a surgical procedure to remove all or part of the colon, after which the remaining healthy sections are typically reconnected, allowing stools to pass through the colon as usual.

    Ostomy

    If your surgeon can't reconnect the healthy portions of your colon after a colectomy, you may need an ostomy. During ostomy creation, your surgeon creates an opening in the wall of the abdomen. This allows stool to leave your body by emptying into a bag that fits over the opening. Colostomy and ileostomy surgeries are common ostomy procedures, and they are named for the part of the bowel in which the opening is created.

    If you need an ostomy, it may be temporary or permanent. A temporary ostomy allows your colon to heal after surgery and is then reversed. Your care team helps you understand how to care for your ostomy. You can still eat the foods you like and take part in all the activities you enjoyed before having an ostomy.

    Having an ostomy is a big worry for many patients. That's why experts at Mayo Clinic continue to study ostomy procedures to reduce the effects it has on daily life. Some people may be able to have procedures that use an internal reservoir instead of an external pouch. Continent ileostomy, also called Kock pouch or K-pouch surgery, and ileoanal anastomosis, also called J-pouch surgery, are examples of surgeries that use internal reservoirs.

    Colostomy

    During colostomy surgery, an opening is made in the belly called a stoma. Part of the colon is brought through the stoma and attached to a pouch outside the body. Stools then pass through the stoma and go into the pouch.

    Cytoreductive surgery

    If it is not possible to remove all of your cancer surgically, your care team may recommend cytoreductive surgery, also called debulking surgery. During this type of surgery, your doctor removes as much of your cancer as possible. Cytoreductive surgery is often done along with nonsurgical treatments that target any cancer that could not be removed.

    Liver transplant

    If your cancer has spread only to the liver and cannot be safely removed with other techniques, you may be eligible for a liver transplant. Liver transplantation is an effective therapy for a small number of patients with colorectal liver metastases, and Mayo Clinic is one of only a few centers in the U.S. that offer this complex surgery.

    Synchronous cancer treatment

    Mayo Clinic is one of the few centers where surgeons from different specialties routinely remove tumors from different organs during a single operation. This is called synchronous treatment. It can be particularly helpful if you have two primary cancers diagnosed in a short time frame. This approach combines two operations into one and streamlines the treatment plan for people who have advanced tumors.

    Support group discussions 

    From Mayo Clinic Connect, our online patient community.

    Find more discussions:

    Chemotherapy for colon cancer

    Chemotherapy is a colon cancer treatment option that uses strong medicines to kill cancer cells. You can have chemotherapy for colon cancer before or after surgery, or you may have it when surgery is not an option. With a multidisciplinary team, you also may have some treatment options that combine chemotherapy with radiation and surgery.

    Before colon cancer surgery, chemotherapy may be used to shrink a large cancer so that it's easier to remove. This is called neoadjuvant therapy. Mayo Clinic's colon cancer teams combine advanced neoadjuvant therapies with world-leading surgical expertise to provide treatment options for patients who previously had none.

    After colon cancer surgery, chemotherapy can be used to kill any cancer cells that may be left in your body. This helps reduce your risk that the cancer will come back. Chemotherapy given after surgery is called adjuvant chemotherapy. Researchers at Mayo Clinic led the first clinical trial of adjuvant chemotherapy and have continued to study the best medicine combinations and treatment lengths to make adjuvant therapy most effective and minimize the side effects.

    Special forms of chemotherapy also can be used alongside surgery. This approach helps doctors apply chemotherapy more directly to your cancer cells, and it requires that your oncologists and surgeons work closely together.

    • Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). This is a specialized combination treatment for cancer in the abdominal cavity, called the peritoneum. Cancerous tumors are first removed with cytoreductive surgery. The cavity is then bathed with hot chemotherapy to kill any microscopic cancer cells that remain.
    • Pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC). In this procedure, chemotherapy can be used in an aerosolized form. Mayo Clinic conducted the first PIPAC procedure in 2019 and has continued to study it since. PIPAC is done with a minimally invasive surgery that uses special tools to disperse the aerosolized chemotherapy. The medicine circulates in the abdominal cavity for 30 minutes so it can penetrate deeply into the cancer cells. It is then removed using a closed air waste evacuation system.
    • Hepatic artery infusion pump chemotherapy. This therapy targets colon cancer that has spread to the liver. The process starts with the surgical placement of a small pump under the skin, typically in the belly. This pump delivers chemotherapy to the liver through an attached catheter that is placed in a blood vessel connected to the liver's main artery. The liver's main artery is called the hepatic artery. The pump allows doctors to deliver higher doses of chemotherapy directly to the liver while limiting widespread side effects.

    Hepatic artery infusion pump therapy: Surgical treatment for colon cancer that has spread to the liver

    Mayo Clinic surgical oncologist Cornelius A. Thiels, D.O., M.B.A, explains that surgery is often the best option for patients with colon cancer that has spread to the liver. Hepatic artery infusion pump chemotherapy provides a controlled dose of chemotherapy directly to the liver, making surgery an option for some patients.

    [MUSIC PLAYING]

    CORNELIUS A THIELS: I think when it comes to colorectal liver metastases, one of the most important things is trying to get people to surgery, because we do know that surgery is their best chance of a cure. With hepatic artery infusion pump chemotherapy, we're able to offer some of those patients the ability to try to convert them to resectable, meaning convert them to the potential of a curative intent surgery. Hepatic artery infusion pump chemotherapy is where we insert a pump under the skin in the abdomen, and that pump directly connects to the liver. Then, after surgery, patients receive chemotherapy filled into that pump, and then, that chemotherapy slowly goes to the liver over a couple of weeks, and even months after surgery.

    And that's important, because we can now treat tumors that are not currently responding to normal chemotherapy, or tumors that are responding, but we need a better response. We need them to shrink more or prevent them from coming back. And so we think this is a very exciting treatment option for very selected patients in order to try to cure them of their colorectal liver metastases.

    Radiation for colon cancer

    Radiation therapy uses powerful energy beams to kill cancer cells. The energy can come from X-rays, protons or other sources. Your doctor might recommend radiation therapy to ease symptoms, and you may have radiation and chemotherapy at the same time. Like chemotherapy, radiation can be used before, during or after surgery.

    Proton beam therapy

    Proton beam therapy is a specific type of radiation that is very targeted. The Mayo Clinic Proton Beam Therapy Program uses the most advanced form of proton beam therapy — pencil beam scanning. This allows our radiation oncologists to deliver higher doses of radiation to cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. Proton beam therapy can be an especially helpful option for colon cancer because of the location of the cancer. Precisely targeting radiation therapy allows for limited damage to healthy tissues important for reproduction, digestion and urination.

    Intraoperative radiation therapy

    Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) is radiation delivered during surgery. Surgeons use IORT when they can't remove enough healthy tissue around the cancer or when the cancer has spread locally but not to distant parts of the body. During IORT, a single, high dose of radiation is given during surgery — after the cancer has been removed but before the abdomen has been closed.

    Selective internal radiation therapy

    Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT), also called Y-90 radioembolization, is a treatment that sends tiny radioactive beads directly into the blood vessels that feed colon cancer tumors in the liver. These beads give off radiation that helps shrink the tumors while sparing most of the healthy liver. It's often used when surgery isn't possible and other treatments haven't worked.

    Targeted therapy

    Targeted therapy may be an option for some people with colon cancer. Targeted therapy uses medicines that attack or block certain chemicals in cancer cells. Blocking these chemicals can cause cancer cells to die.

    To use targeted therapy, doctors need to understand the genetic changes that contributed to your cancer. Molecular profiling with technology known as next-generation sequencing gives doctors that understanding. The technology can quickly evaluate many pieces of DNA so you know whether there are targeted therapies that may work for you.

    Immunotherapy

    Immunotherapy is a treatment with medicine that helps your immune system kill cancer cells. Your immune system fights off diseases by attacking germs and other cells that shouldn't be in your body. Cancer cells survive by hiding from the immune system. Immunotherapy helps the immune system find and kill the cancer cells. You may need immunotherapy if your colon cancer is associated with certain genes or if you have advanced or metastatic colon cancer.

    All colon cancers should be tested to see if immunotherapy may be helpful. About 1 in 10 people with colon cancer has tumors that are either deficient in mismatch repair (dMMR) or show microsatellite instability (MSI). These features mean that cancer cells have trouble fixing DNA mistakes. These tumors tend to build up lots of errors in their DNA, which makes them easier for the immune system to spot. Therefore, patients with dMMR or MSI tumors are most likely to benefit from immunotherapy. Testing for these tumor types helps doctors choose the best treatment.

    Ablation therapy

    Ablation therapy is a minimally invasive treatment that can be used for colon cancer. It uses heat, cold, lasers or chemicals to destroy cancer cells. Your doctor may use energy beams or probes inserted using a catheter to perform ablation therapy. Ablation can be a good option if you can't have surgery to remove your colon cancer. Ablation typically works best for small tumors or to treat cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

    Histotripsy

    Histotripsy is a new treatment that uses sound waves to break up cancer cells without surgery or heat. It's being studied for people with colon cancer that has spread, especially to the liver. This treatment may be an option for patients who can't have surgery or other treatments. Mayo Clinic is helping lead research on histotripsy to make it safer and more available for patients in the future.

    Palliative care

    Palliative care is a special type of healthcare that focuses on relieving pain and other symptoms of a serious illness. Palliative care involves a team of healthcare professionals. The team can include doctors, nurses and other specially trained professionals. Their goal is to improve quality of life for you and your family.

    Palliative care is an extra layer of support during cancer treatment. When you have palliative care with other cancer treatments, you may feel better and live longer.

    Clinical trials

    Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.

    Coping and support

    It can be hard to cope with a cancer diagnosis. In time, people learn to cope in their own ways. Until you find what works for you, you might try to:

    • Learn enough about your cancer to make treatment decisions. Ask your healthcare team about the type and stage of your cancer, as well as your treatment options and their side effects. The more you know, the more you'll be able to take part in decisions about your care. Ask your healthcare team to recommend other sources of information, such as websites you can trust.
    • Keep friends and family close. Keeping people you care about close to you can help you deal with cancer. Friends and family can help you take care of things if you're in the hospital. And they can offer you support when you feel like you have too much to handle.
    • Find a good listener to talk with. Find someone who will listen to you talk about your hopes and fears. This may be a friend or family member. Talking with a counselor, medical social worker, clergy member or cancer support group also might be helpful.

    Ask your healthcare team about support groups in your area or contact a cancer organization, such as the National Cancer Institute or the American Cancer Society.

    Support group discussions 

    Find more discussions:

    Mayo Clinic Patient StoryInnovative therapy helps one man with cancer pay it forward

    Brian Principe was diagnosed with colon cancer that had spread to his liver. After liver-directed chemotherapy, his tumors have shrunk, and he is helping others prevent the disease.

    Preparing for your appointment

    If you have colon cancer, you'll likely be sent to specialists who treat the disease. You might meet with:

    • A doctor who treats digestive diseases, called a gastroenterologist.
    • A doctor who uses medicines to treat cancer, called an oncologist.
    • A doctor who removes colon cancer using surgery, called a surgeon or surgical oncologist.
    • A doctor who uses radiation to treat cancer, called a radiation oncologist.

    At Mayo Clinic, all of these specialists work together as one care team. They coordinate to provide you a seamless care experience, and our helpful scheduling teams set up your appointments to make the most of your time on campus.

    Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.

    What you can do

    Ask a family member or friend to go to your appointment with you. This person can help you remember the information you're told.

    Make a list of:

    • Your symptoms and when they began.
    • Key medical information, including other conditions you have and your family medical history.
    • All medicines, vitamins and supplements you take, including doses.
    • Questions to ask your healthcare team.

    Some basic questions to ask include:

    • Where in my colon is my cancer?
    • What is the stage of my colon cancer?
    • Can you explain the lab report of my cancer to me?
    • Can I have a copy of my lab report?
    • Has my colon cancer spread? Where to?
    • Will I need more tests?
    • What are the treatment options for my colon cancer?
    • What is the chance that my colon cancer can be cured?
    • What are the potential side effects of each treatment?
    • How will each treatment affect my daily life?
    • How much time can I take to decide about treatment?
    • Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What websites do you recommend?

    What to expect from your doctor

    Be prepared to answer some basic questions about your symptoms, such as:

    • Have your symptoms been ongoing, or do they come and go?
    • How bad are your symptoms?
    • What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
    • What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?

    Mayo Clinic’s approach to treating colon cancer

    The experts at Mayo Clinic are leading the way in colon cancer treatment. From excelling at standard treatments to inventing new ones, our team is bringing the treatments of tomorrow to patients today.

    We also are a National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, which means our doctors are researchers as well. They are involved with cutting-edge studies and clinical trials that help all people with colon cancer access the latest treatment options.

    At Mayo Clinic, you can expect expert colon cancer care delivered with compassion. Your team is focused on you. Team members work together, applying their expertise to your situation and collaborating as a team. So while your team treats your colon cancer, you can focus on healing.

    “We are offering the latest approaches to treating colon cancer, including chemotherapies, immunotherapies and advanced surgical approaches. We can even perform a liver transplant for some patients whose cancer has spread to the liver. Our goal is to enhance the care options available for people with colon cancer.”

    You can also contact our helpful scheduling teams by calling:


    Just diagnosed with colon cancer?

    We’ve gathered resources and answers to common questions to help you get started on your path to recovery.



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    News from Mayo Clinic

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