Home > Medical Reference > Patient EducationServices at Maryland GeneralA complete list of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services at MGH.Colon and rectal cancers - Introduction
DescriptionAn in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of colorectal cancer.Alternative NamesColorectal cancer Introduction:Cancers of the colon and rectum, often collectively referred to as colorectal cancer, are life-threatening tumors that develop in the large intestine. More than 80% of colorectal tumors develop from adenomatous polyps. These gland-like growths develop on the mucous membrane that lines the large intestine. They are usually either:
Polyps are very common, and most of them are benign. Their numbers increase with age. Polyps are found in about 25% of people by age 50, and 50% of people by age 75. Fewer than 1% of polyps under 1 centimeter (slightly less than half an inch) become cancerous. About 10% of larger polyps become cancerous within 10 years, and about 25% of these larger polyps become cancerous after 20 years. The Gastrointestinal TractDigestion takes place in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, essentially a long tube that extends from the mouth to the anus. It is a complex organ system that first carries food from the mouth down the esophagus to the stomach. Food then travels through the small and large intestines before being excreted through the rectum and out the anus. The esophagus, stomach, and large and small intestine -- aided by the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas -- convert the nutritive components of food into energy and break down the non-nutritive components into waste to be excreted. ![]() EsophagusThe esophagus is a narrow muscular tube, about 9 1/2 inches long, that begins below the tongue and ends at the stomach. StomachIn the stomach, acids and stomach motion break food down into particles small enough so that the small intestine can absorb nutrients. Click the icon to see an image of stomach anatomy. Small IntestineThe small intestine, despite its name, is the longest part of the gastrointestinal tract, extending for about 20 feet. Food passes from the stomach through its three parts: first the duodenum, then the jejunum, and finally the ileum. Most of the digestive process occurs in the small intestine. Click the icon to see an image of small intestine anatomy. Large IntestineUndigested material, such as plant fiber, is passed next to the large intestine, mostly in liquid form. The large intestine is wider than the small intestine but only about 6 feet long. It is the final portion of the digestive tract and includes the cecum, the appendix, the colon, and the rectum, which extends to the anus. Cecum and Appendix. The cecum and the appendix are located in the lower-right quadrant of the abdomen. Colon. The colon absorbs excess water and salts into the blood. The remaining waste matter is converted to feces through bacterial action. The colon is divided into four major sections. Click the icon to see an image of large intestine anatomy.
Rectum and Anus. Feces are stored in the descending and sigmoid colon until they are passed through the rectum and anus. The rectum extends through the pelvis from the end of the sigmoid colon to the anus. Resources
ReferencesBotteri E, Iodice S, Raimondi S, Maisonneuve P, Lowenfels AB. Cigarette smoking and adenomatous polyps: a meta-analysis. Gastroenterology. 2008 Feb;134(2):388-95. Epub 2007 Nov 4. Ciardiello F, Tortora G. EGFR antagonists in cancer treatment. N Engl J Med. 2008 Mar 13;358(11):1160 74. Figueredo A, Coombes ME, Mukherjee S. Adjuvant therapy for completely resected stage II colon cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Jul 16;(3):CD005390. Johnson CD, Chen MH, Toledano AY, Heiken JP, Dachman A, Kuo MD, et al. Accuracy of CT colonography for detection of large adenomas and cancers. N Engl J Med. 2008 Sep 18;359(12):1207-17. Jonker DJ, O'Callaghan CJ, Karapetis CS, Zalcberg JR, Tu D, Au HJ, et al. Cetuximab for the treatment of colorectal cancer. N Engl J Med. 2007 Nov 15;357(20):2040-8. Karapetis CS, Khambata-Ford S, Jonker DJ, O'Callaghan CJ, Tu D, Tebbutt NC, et al. K-ras mutations and benefit from cetuximab in advanced colorectal cancer. N Engl J Med. 2008 Oct 23;359(17):1757-65. Kim DH, Pickhardt PJ, Taylor AJ, Leung WK, Winter TC, Hinshaw JL, et al. CT colonography versus colonoscopy for the detection of advanced neoplasia. N Engl J Med. 2007 Oct 4;357(14):1403-12. Kuhry E, Schwenk WF, Gaupset R, Romild U, Bonjer HJ. Long-term results of laparoscopic colorectal cancer resection. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Apr 16;(2):CD003432. Imperiale TF, Glowinski EA, Lin-Cooper C, Larkin GN, Rogge JD, Ransohoff DF. Five-year risk of colorectal neoplasia after negative screening colonoscopy. N Engl J Med. 2008 Sep 18;359(12):1218-24. Levin B, Lieberman DA, McFarland B, Smith RA, Brooks D, Andrews KS, et al. Screening and surveillance for the early detection of colorectal cancer and adenomatous polyps, 2008: a joint guideline from the American Cancer Society, the US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer, and the American College of Radiology. CA Cancer J Clin. 2008 May-Jun;58(3):130-60. Epub 2008 Mar 5. Moghaddam AA, Woodward M, Huxley R. Obesity and risk of colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis of 31 studies with 70,000 events. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2007 Dec;16(12):2533-47. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Colon Cancer. V.3.2008 National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Rectal Cancer. V.3.2008. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Routine aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the primary prevention of colorectal cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med. 2007 Mar 6;146(5):361-4. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for colorectal cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med. 2008 Nov 4;149(9):627-37. Epub 2008 Oct 6. Weinberg DS. In the clinic. Colorectal cancer screening. Ann Intern Med. 2008 Feb 5;148(3):ITC2-1-ITC2-16. Wolpin BM, Mayer RJ. Systemic treatment of colorectal cancer. Gastroenterology. 2008 May;134(5):1296-310.
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