TREATMENT OF COLON AND RECTAL CANCER

For several generations, the treatment and outcome of patients with colon and rectal adenocarcinoma have been similar. Differences in the natural history, preoperative assessment, technical aspects of surgery, and adjuvant treatment have changed the approach to the treatment of colon and rectal cancers, and each disease should be considered in a different scenario. Adjuvant treatment (i.e., chemoradiotherapy) has a definitive role for a well-selected group of patients. Advances in molecular biology have provided a better understanding of the pathogenesis of colon and rectal cancer and might be useful for patient selection for adjuvant treatment. This article discusses the multimodal treatment of patients with colon and rectal adenocarcinoma under elective and emergency situations.