How Colorectal Cancer Is Diagnosed and What to Know About Your Treatment Options

A possible colorectal cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming, but understanding the next steps may make the process easier to navigate.

GI Specialists of Houston specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer and other gastrointestinal cancers. Our board-certified gastroenterologists use the latest treatments, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and surgery.

Our team also values the importance of preventive care and provides colonoscopies and other colorectal cancer screenings.

When should I be evaluated for colorectal cancer?

Colorectal cancer begins in the colon or rectum and often develops from abnormal growths called polyps. Identifying the disease early can improve your treatment opportunities, making prompt evaluation of symptoms and abnormal screening results important.

Colorectal cancer doesn’t always cause symptoms during its early stages. When symptoms occur, they may include:

• Rectal bleeding
• Blood in the stool
• Lasting changes in bowel habits
• Abdominal discomfort
• Weakness
• Unintended weight loss

These symptoms can also result from noncancerous digestive conditions, so experiencing them doesn’t always mean you have cancer. However, when changes are persistent or unexplained, it’s important to meet with our skilled gastroenterology team.

From screening results to diagnosis

A stool-based screening test detects blood or other signs associated with colorectal cancer, but an abnormal result doesn’t confirm cancer. A diagnostic colonoscopy is generally needed to examine your colon and rectum up close.

During a colonoscopy, your gastroenterologist guides a thin, flexible camera through the large intestine. The procedure allows our team to identify suspicious tissue, remove many polyps, and collect biopsy samples. A pathologist then examines the tissue under a microscope to determine whether cancer cells are present.

Blood tests may also be needed to look for anemia, evaluate liver function, and establish a baseline level of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). CEA cannot diagnose colorectal cancer on its own, but it may help our physicians monitor your results during and after treatment.

How colorectal cancer is staged

If a biopsy confirms you have colorectal cancer, the next step is staging. Staging describes how deeply the tumor has grown and whether it has spread to nearby lymph nodes or other organs.

We use CT scans to evaluate areas such as the chest, abdomen, and pelvis. Rectal cancer may require additional imaging, including a pelvic MRI or endorectal ultrasound, to define the tumor’s location and size more precisely.

Our cancer specialists may also test the tumor for genetic characteristics. Biomarker results help determine whether targeted therapy or immunotherapy may be beneficial, especially when cancer has spread or returned.

Understanding your treatment options for colorectal cancer

Treatment for colorectal cancer depends on whether the cancer began in the colon or rectum, its stage, its molecular characteristics, and your overall health.

Surgery is often the primary treatment for colon cancer. We can remove some very early cancers during a colonoscopy. Other cancerous tissues require surgery to remove the affected portion of the colon and nearby lymph nodes. 

We may recommend chemotherapy after surgery for stage III colon cancer and for some people with stage II disease.

For rectal cancer treatment, we may provide chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or both, before surgery, depending on the tumor size and location. People who have a positive response to treatment may sometimes undergo close monitoring instead of immediate surgery.

For cancer that’s spread to other organs, treatment may include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, surgery, ablation, or a combination of approaches. Biomarker testing is especially important because it can help identify treatments designed for specific tumor features.

Start with an accurate evaluation

Colorectal cancer care often involves collaboration among our gastroenterologists, pathologists, radiologists, surgeons, and oncology specialists.

Here at GI Specialists of Houston, we provide advanced gastrointestinal evaluations and colonoscopy services at locations throughout Houston, Humble, and Baytown.

If you have any digestive symptoms or an abnormal screening result, contact us at GI Specialists of Houston at an office near you to schedule an appointment to discuss the appropriate next step.