Colorectal cancer: management

Colorectal cancer is common with a lifetime risk of 5% and remains the second most common cause of cancer death with low 5-year survival (55%). Early detection through bowel screening and surveillance of genetic and inflammatory bowel disease high-risk groups aims to identify early disease. Specialist surgery, despite the associated morbidity and mortality offers the best chance of cure. Increasingly isolated multi-organ metastatic disease is resected with good results. This brief article summarizes management of colorectal cancer with focus on early rectal and polyp cancers, which may pose management dilemmas.