Colorectal Cancer Treatments & Quality of Life | Memorial Sloan Kettering

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07/19/23

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Patients' quality of life after treatment should be an important factor that doctors consider when deciding on a course of treatment for colorectal cancer. In this video, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center experts address issues such as ways to avoid the need for a colostomy, preserve female patients' sexual function, and prevent other side effects of colorectal cancer treatment.

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I think it’s clear that whether you have radiation therapy, chemotherapy or any combination thereof, it is a difficult process for people. Can we talk about the quality of life and how that fits within the decision making process as to what might be the right course of treatment that might be?

I’m particularly interested in quality of life and late effects after treatment – particularly after radiation therapy. However, I think in terms of the decision-making initially – about the course of treatment the patient will take on – is dependent upon the cure of the cancer and the quality of life. In the end, we would like to maintain the quality of life.

I do believe one of the things radiation therapy can do, if given preoperatively, it can hopefully make it easier to allow a patient with a very low-lying rectal cancer where there is a very high risk of having to remove the rectum and anus and end up with a colostomy. In many cases, we are able to allow for the tumor to shrink. This allows for Dr. Guillem to do a surgery where he can actually put things back together again and not end up with the colostomy