Abstract
Three therapeutic approaches (endoscopic, surgical, oncologic) can be considered in patients with colorectal carcinoma (CRC), as well as various combinations of them. The choice of a specific course of treatment is dependent on the stage of the tumour at the point of diagnosis.
In case of an early-stage CRC, endoscopic removal of the lesion can be sufficient. If the tumour is growing through lamina muscularis mucosae, it is necessary to evaluate the extent of invasion and the risk of local metastases.
Surgical treatment is indicated in patients in whom a radical (curative) procedure (R0 resection) is expectable. The goal of palliative care is removal of intestinal obstructions and increased quality of life, over a prolonged period of time.
Oncologic neo-adjuvant therapy, used to treat carcinomas of the rectum, leads to regression of the cancerous tissue. Adjuvant systemic therapy administered after resection of the primary tumour is meant to remove the tumour's micro-metastases and to lower the risk of relapses and death.
Palliative chemotherapy in patients with an inoperable tumour delays the average rate of the disease's progression and prolongs their survival.