The primary treatment for colon and rectal cancer is surgery — but the surgery and outcome can vary depending on how severe the cancer is and where the cancer is located. Colon and rectal cancers can be very similar, which is why they’re often called “colorectal cancer,” but when it comes to surgery, the difference between them can matter.
Dr. Newman is the Chief of Surgical Oncology at Lenox Hill Hospital, Northwell Health System, and a professor at Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.
References
American Cancer Society. (2020). Surgery for colon cancer.
Bednarski, B.K. (2022). Patient education: colon and rectal cancer (beyond the basics). UpToDate.
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Written by:
Lauren Smith, MALauren Smith, MA, has worked in health journalism since 2017. Before joining GoodRx, she was the senior health editor and writer for HealthiNation.
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Sanjai Sinha, MDSanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.
