Conservative treatment for early rectal cancer

When it comes to cancer, many people always think that once they have cancer, they will feel that it is an incurable disease. In fact, if we discover it in time and can get adequate treatment in the early stage, we can control the disease and make our body recover. So what are the treatments for rectal cancer?

(1) Surgical treatment: It is divided into radical surgery and palliative surgery. The choice of surgical method can be comprehensively judged based on factors such as the location, size, activity, and degree of cell differentiation of the tumor.

(2) Radical surgery: There are different methods.

Abdominoperineal excision (Miles): Applicable to rectal cancer with tumor less than 7 cm from the anal verge. The excision range includes the lower part of the sigmoid colon and its mesentery and the entire rectum, lymph nodes around the inferior mesenteric artery, anal levator muscles, fat in the ischiorectal fossa, anal canal and surrounding skin with a diameter of about 5 cm and all anal sphincters. A permanent artificial anus is made in the left lower abdomen at the proximal end of the sigmoid colon.

Dixon surgery: It is suitable for rectal cancer with the tumor more than 10 cm away from the anal verge. It can preserve enough rectum and sigmoid colon. The surgery causes little damage, preserves the normal anus, and has good defecation function, but it is not a complete cure.

Pull-down rectal cancer resection: It is suitable for rectal cancer with a tumor 7 to 10 cm away from the anal verge. The anus is retained, the rectum is cut off at the dentate line through the anus, and the sigmoid colon is pulled down from the anus and fixed to the anus. Although this method retains the anus, the effect of controlling defecation after surgery is unsatisfactory and the thoroughness of the operation is poor.

(3) Palliative surgery: It is suitable for advanced cases with extensive metastasis that cannot be cured, such as colostomy, to relieve obstruction.

(4) Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy after surgery can control blood metastasis in the body and improve the efficacy. Chemotherapy is the main treatment for patients who cannot undergo surgery or who have relapsed after surgery.

(5) Radiotherapy: Radiotherapy can be performed before and after surgery. Preoperative radiotherapy can improve the efficacy of surgery and reduce the recurrence rate of patients after surgery; postoperative radiotherapy can kill residual micro-lesions. It is also suitable for patients in the advanced stage or those who have recurred after surgery.

Experts here remind everyone that after getting rectal cancer, you must ensure that you have a good and balanced mentality. At the same time, you must actively seek treatment and cooperate with doctors for reasonable and scientific treatment. However, many patients do not pay much attention to some of their physical discomfort. In this way, you may miss the best time for treatment. Therefore, here is a warm reminder that you must pay attention to adjusting your body and mentality.