Surgery for colorectal cancer
UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center offers comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for patients with all stages of colon cancer aimed at preservation of critical functions, prevention of disease recurrence and optimization of quality of life. Your team of cancer specialists may include experts in surgery, medical oncology and radiation oncology, gastroenterology, pathology, radiology, oncology nurses, registered dietitians, clinical research associates, genetic counselors and social workers.
Colorectal cancer, or cancers of the colon and rectum, which are parts of the body's digestive system, is the third most common type of cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women.
Physicians and surgeons in the Colorectal Cancer Program at UC Davis Health are accustomed to treating the most advanced and challenging cases of colorectal cancer from throughout inland Northern California, and have built a reputation for innovative therapies and surgical techniques that minimize the need for temporary or permanent colostomies. Our specialists also have extensive experience and expertise with colorectal cancers that have spread to the liver or other areas of the abdomen.
Collaboratively, team members design an individualized course of treatment for each patient.
A number of methods can be used to screen individuals for colorectal cancer, such as colonoscopies (the rectum and entire colon are examined), sigmoidoscopy (the rectum and lower colon are examined), and Fecal Occult Blood Test (checking for blood in fecal material). Based on an individual’s risk factors and family history, people should discuss with their health care provider when they should begin and how often they should undergo screenings.
UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center specialists use a combination of advanced medical and surgical techniques, including staging with endorectal ultrasound, preoperative chemoradiation, external-beam radiation and colonic stents. Our surgeons are skilled at treating rectal cancers, using such advanced techniques as transanal tumor resection and nerve-sparing total mesorectal resection. We also offer multiple treatment options for patients whose cancer has spread to the liver, including radiofrequency ablation to destroy liver tumors and direct chemotherapy delivered to the liver via pumps.
Specific surgical procedures may include:
- Laparoscopic (minimally invasive) colon resection: Unlike open surgery, which can involve a lengthy hospital stay and recovery period, laparoscopic colon surgery allows patients to heal faster, regain function and return to normal activities more quickly.
- Sphincter-saving rectal surgery: This procedure aims to preserve continence and avoid a permanent colostomy after removal of the rectum
- Transanal resection of rectal cancer: For early-stage rectal cancer or for rectal tumors near the anus, this procedure involves tumor surgery performed with instruments inserted through the anus. This approach is usually done with general anesthesia and reduces the length of post-operative hospitalization.
- Nerve-sparing total mesorectal excision: This approach reduces the changes for sexual and urinary dysfunction following surgery.
- Minimally invasive colostomy: In some cases, when colon surgery results in an inability to pass feces through the anus, the surgeon will make small incisions in the abdomen and use laparoscopic instruments to create an opening in the large intestine that allows feces to bypass the rectum and drain into a pouch or other collection device. This avoids delay in beginning other treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Radu OM, Nikiforova MN, Farkas LM, Krasinskas AM: Challenging cases encountered in colorectal cancer screening for Lynch syndrome reveal novel findings: nucleolar MSH6 staining and impact of prior chemoradiation therapy. Hum Pathol. 2011 Sep;42(9):1247-58.
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Gologan A, Krasinskas A, Hunt J, Thull DL, Farkas L, Sepulveda AR: Performance of the revised Bethesda guidelines for identification of colorectal carcinomas with a high level of microsatellite instability. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2005 Nov;129(11):1390-7.
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Mason AC, Azari KK, Farkas LM, Duvvuri U, Myers EN: Metastatic adenocarcinoma of the colon presenting as a mass in the mandible. Head Neck. 2005 Aug;27(8):729-32.
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Ramsey M, Harbrecht B, Boujoukas A, Sirio C, Farkas L, Lee K, Simmon R: Fulminant Clostridium difficile: An Underappreciated and Increasing Cause of Death and Complications. Annals of Surgery. 2002;235:363-372.
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Oncologists Specializing in Colon Cancer
Hematology and Oncology
Edward Kim, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology
Kit Tam, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology
Rashmi Verma, M.D.
Associate Health Science Clinical Professor
Surgery
Ankit Sarin, M.D., M.H.A.
Chief, Division of Colorectal Surgery
Sean Flynn, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery
Cameron Gaskill, M.D., M.P.H.
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Division of Surgical Oncology
Robert Kucejko, M.D., M.S., M.B.A.
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery
Miquell Olivia Miller, M.D., M.Sc.
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery
Erik R. Noren, M.D., M.Sc.
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery
Radiology
John McGahan, M.D.
Professor of Radiology
Radiation Oncology
Arta Monjazeb, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Dietitians
Danielle Baham, M.S., R.D.
Genetic Counselors
Nicole Mans, M.S., L.C.G.C.
Jeanna Welborn, M.D.Social Workers
Sara Chavez, L.C.S.W., O.S.W.-C., A.C.H.P.-S.W.
Sarah Conning, L.C.S.W., O.S.W.-C.