Colorectal Cancer: What Is Colorectal Carcinoma?

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Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer or colorectal carcinoma is
cancer of the colon and/or rectum. Your
doctor may perform a colonoscopy, CT
colonography (also known as virtual
colonoscopy) or an air-contrast barium enema
to help diagnose your condition. Your doctor
also may order an abdominal and pelvic CT,
PET/CT, body MRI or an endorectal
ultrasound.
Depending on the size, extent and stage of the

cancer, surgery may be required. Advanced
cases may require treatment with radiation
therapy such as external beam therapy (EBT).
Your doctor may also prescribe chemotherapy
to decrease the chance of the tumor returning
elsewhere in the body.
What is colorectal
carcinoma?
Colorectal carcinoma is a cancer, or malignant
tumor, of the large intestine, which may affect
the colon or rectum. Typically, the colon is
the upper five or six feet of the large intestine,
and the rectum is the lower five to seven
inches located above the anal canal.
Factors such as age, race, personal or family

history of colon disease and diet can play a significant role in having an increased risk of developing
colorectal cancer.
Many colon cancers develop over a long period of time, often arising from pre-cancerous colon polyps
which gradually grow and may turn into cancer. Many early stage colon cancers do not initially cause any
symptoms at all. Therefore, various methods of colon cancer screening are currently recommended in the
hope of finding the polyp or cancer at a time when it can be removed and cured. You should consider
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Copyright© 2018, RadiologyInfo.org Reviewed: Feb-17-2017
hope of finding the polyp or cancer at a time when it can be removed and cured. You should consider
talking to your physician about if and when colon cancer screening would be appropriate.
If the cancer has grown to a size where it causes symptoms, these may include:
Abdominal pain, cramps or gas

Weight loss
Fatigue
Changes in bowel movements such as diarrhea, constipation, bloating or very thin stool
Blood in the stool or rectal bleeding
Partial or complete blockage of bowel passage
How is colorectal cancer diagnosed and evaluated?

In order to diagnose the cause of symptoms, your doctor may order:
Colonoscopy: This examination uses a flexible tube with a tiny camera at the end, which is inserted
into the colon. The camera captures images of the interior of the large intestine. Polyps and/or
tissue samples may be removed and evaluated to determine whether they are cancerous.
CT Colonography: A small tube is inserted into the rectum and air is used to inflate the colon.
Then, low dose CT images of the abdomen and pelvis are obtained with the patient lying on their
back and then stomach. Software can then create a three-dimensional (3-D) interior view of the
colon, allowing specially trained radiologists to look for abnormalities (such as polyps) in the large
intestine.
Air-contrast barium enema: Also called a lower GI (gastrointestinal exam), this x-ray exam of the
large intestine allows radiologists to view the colon and rectum in real-time and detect any
abnormal growths.
Other types of imaging exams that your doctor may order include:
Abdominal and Pelvic CT: This imaging procedure uses x-rays to quickly identify sources of pain
or abnormalities within the gastrointestinal tract.
PET/CT: Positron emission tomography (PET) is a type of nuclear medicine scan that uses a small
amount of radioactive material to image body functions. A PET/CT exam fuses images from PET
and CT scans to detect and anatomically localize cancer and determine the amount of cancer
spread.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the Body: This imaging test uses a magnetic field and radio
frequency pulses to produce detailed pictures of the internal organs and is helpful for detecting
diseases of the small intestine, colon, rectum and anus. No radiation is involved.
Endorectal Ultrasound: This imaging test uses high frequency sound waves generated from a probe,

Endorectal Ultrasound: This imaging test uses high frequency sound waves generated from a probe,
which is inserted into the rectum. The sound waves create a picture of the rectal wall and
surrounding tissue. No radiation is involved. This test may be used to determine the local extent of
disease if the patient has been diagnosed with rectal cancer.
How is colorectal cancer treated?

Depending on the size and extent of spread of the cancer, patients may need to undergo a surgery,
removing part or all of the colon, in order to remove the tumor. For some patients, an ileostomy or
colostomy may be needed, which diverts bowel content into an external bag. Advanced cases may require
radiation therapy treatments such as:
External Beam Therapy (EBT): This treatment is a form of radiation therapy done by aiming
several beams or high-energy x-rays directly at a patient’s tumor. These x-rays deliver radiation to
the patient’s tumor in order to destroy the cancer cells while minimizing the effects on the
surrounding healthy tissues.
In many cases, chemotherapy may be used, either as a standalone treatment or in combination with
radiation therapy. Chemotherapy is given to decrease the chance of the tumor returning elsewhere in the
body or to decrease the amount of tumor throughout the body if all of the tumor(s) cannot be removed
surgically. It is usually given over time and alternated with periods of no treatment. Side effects, such as
abnormal blood-cell counts, fatigue, diarrhea, mouth sores, and a compromised immune system may
occur.
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Note: Images may be shown for illustrative purposes. Do not attempt to draw conclusions or make diagnoses by
comparing these images to other medical images, particularly your own. Only qualified physicians should interpret
images; the radiologist is the physician expert trained in medical imaging.
Copyright
This material is copyrighted by either the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), 820 Jorie Boulevard, Oak
Brook, IL 60523-2251 or the American College of Radiology (ACR), 1891 Preston White Drive, Reston, VA

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Copyright ® 2018 Radiological Society of North America, Inc.


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Depending on the size, extent and stage of the

Factors such as age, race, personal or family

Colorectal Cancer Page 1 of 4

Abdominal pain, cramps or gas

How is colorectal cancer diagnosed and evaluated?

Colorectal Cancer Page 2 of 4

How is colorectal cancer treated?

Colorectal Cancer Page 3 of 4

Copyright ® 2018 Radiological Society of North America, Inc.

Colorectal Cancer Page 4 of 4

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