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Colorectal cancer

One of the most preventable and most treatable major cancers.

Colorectal cancer is common — and, caught early, very treatable. Treatment typically combines surgery with medical therapy, guided increasingly by the tumor's molecular features. Our oncologists coordinate the medical side hand-in-hand with your surgeon and gastroenterologist, with chemotherapy and targeted therapy delivered in our own infusion centers.

How we approach it

Molecular guidance

Testing for features like MSI status and specific mutations shapes which therapies will work for your tumor

Surgical coordination

Whether medical therapy comes before surgery, after, or both is a sequencing decision we make with your surgical team

Care close to home

Infusions, labs, imaging, and your physician under one roof — for a treatment course measured in months, that matters

What the workup looks like

Complete staging

Imaging and pathology establish the stage — the single biggest driver of what treatment is recommended.

Molecular testing

Your tumor's genetic features can qualify you for targeted therapy or immunotherapy in addition to standard chemotherapy.

A sequenced plan

Surgery and medical therapy in the right order for your stage, with the reasoning explained at every step.

Radiation therapy for colorectal cancer

Radiation therapy is one of the tools we may use in treating colorectal cancer — particularly for rectal tumors, sometimes before surgery and alongside chemotherapy. When it’s part of your plan, it’s delivered with the advanced TrueBeam® system and planned by our board-certified radiation oncologist, Dr. Dan Ishihara, working hand-in-hand with your medical oncologist so radiation, drug therapy, and surgery come together as one plan rather than three.

Common questions

I had blood in my stool — should I worry?

It has many causes, most benign — but it should always be evaluated, typically with a colonoscopy. Don't wait on it.

What does my stage mean?

Stage describes how far the cancer has spread, and it shapes everything: stage I and II disease is often handled primarily with surgery, while later stages typically add medical therapy.

Can colorectal cancer be cured?

Often, yes — particularly when caught early. Even more advanced disease has far more options than a decade ago.

Why does my family need to know?

Some colorectal cancers run in families. Depending on your case, relatives may benefit from earlier screening — we'll tell you if yours is one of them.

My colonoscopy found a polyp — what does that mean?

Most polyps are benign and are simply removed during the colonoscopy. Some types can slowly turn into cancer, which is why they’re removed and examined. If the pathology shows cancer, we’ll review it with you and lay out the next steps.

This page is general information, not medical advice for your specific situation. Every cancer — and every patient — is different. Bring your questions to your care team.