Colon Cancer Channel
Topics & Medications
Quicklinks
Related Channels
Treatment for Rectal Cancer
Once you've been diagnosed with rectal cancer, you and your healthcare team can formulate a treatment plan. Many options are available, and the choice of treatment that is right for you will depend on a number of factors, including:
- The stage of your cancer
- Your age and overall health
- Whether your cancer is new or recurrent.
Treatment options may be divided into the following types:
- Local therapy (such as radiation therapy or surgery)
- Systemic therapy (such as chemotherapy).
(Click Rectal Cancer Treatment for a more in-depth look at this topic. This article offers details on side effects of treatment and explains why getting a second opinion may be a good idea.)
Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD