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Chemotherapy for rectal cancer
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
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Chemotherapy for rectal cancer is one of the main and first steps in treatment. An important condition for successful treatment, as with any other disease, is to detect a malignant tumor in time (at an early stage) and begin treatment.
Rectal cancer is one of the most common malignant diseases. Every year, this disease is diagnosed in approximately 1 million people worldwide. About half of the patients die.
Depending on the stage of cancer, the type of treatment is prescribed.
In addition to chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery are also used.
The method of treatment is prescribed depending on the degree and complexity of the disease, various indicators of the patient’s general health and the characteristics of his body.
Chemotherapy for colorectal cancer affects the entire body, slowing the growth of a malignant tumor or killing cancer cells.
[ Indications for chemotherapy for rectal cancer
Chemotherapy for rectal cancer is prescribed if metastases in the lymph nodes around the rectum are detected during examination. In the presence of metastases, surgical treatment is ineffective or even impossible, and therefore chemotherapy becomes a mandatory and necessary measure.
Chemotherapy for rectal cancer is a long process during which the patient is regularly injected with synthetic substances that destroy cancer cells, thereby slowing the growth of metastases and prolonging the patient's life.
Another form of these synthetic substances is also possible - tablets, which cause less harm to the entire body and are better absorbed. But tablets are less effective in fighting cancer cells, this form of the drug is prescribed at the initial stages of cancer according to the results of the examination and the doctor's orders.
Chemotherapy course for rectal cancer
Chemotherapy for rectal cancer is performed at different stages and under different conditions of disease development. The course of chemotherapy for rectal cancer depends on the patient's indicators before or after surgery. Depending on the course of the disease, the duration of the chemotherapy course and its intensity may change.
The goal of chemotherapy is to destroy cancer cells and slow the growth of metastases. This type of treatment can be used both before and after surgery.
Chemotherapy affects the entire body and has various side effects.
Chemotherapy regimens for rectal cancer
Chemotherapy for rectal cancer is not an alternative to surgery, but a process that precedes it, or a process that accompanies rehabilitation after surgery.
In addition, another type of treatment used is radiation therapy.
During surgical intervention, the cause of the disease is removed - a malignant tumor. But if there are already metastases within the radius of the affected organ, they cannot be removed surgically. They are treated with various drugs in a course of chemotherapy.
There are several chemotherapy regimens:
- adjuvant, which is carried out after surgical treatment of rectal tumor;
- neo-adjuvant – performed before surgery to reduce the number of cancer cells;
- neo-adjuvant chemoradiation therapy – used after surgery.
Chemotherapy drugs for rectal cancer
Chemotherapy for rectal cancer includes a number of drugs that are used in one or another treatment regimen.
The traditional drug is 5-fluorouracil in combination with calcium folinate or leucovarin. In addition, platinum preparations are used.
Such standard drugs are currently the most popular and effective, but at the same time, new chemical drugs are being actively developed that can more effectively fight cancer cells and slow the growth of metastases, thereby prolonging the patient's life.
Traditional drugs that are prescribed for chemotherapy also include Xeloda, oxaliplatin, KAMPTO, UFT and others.
According to the latest research, a drug such as Eloxatin in combination with the above-mentioned 5-fluorouracil has successfully proven its effectiveness.
Contraindications to chemotherapy for rectal cancer
Chemotherapy for rectal cancer is a course of injections that is designed to destroy cancer cells and slow the growth of metastases. But the synthetic drugs used for such injections are not universal for all patients, and therefore a thorough examination of the patient's medical history and body characteristics is carried out in advance.
The duration of the chemotherapy course depends on the stage of cancer and the complexity of the disease. Chemotherapy for rectal cancer is not prescribed if surgery or radiation therapy can be more effective for the patient and give better results. Operations are performed if the malignant tumor in the rectum can be removed by surgery and no metastases are found in the body.
It is extremely important for successful treatment to detect the disease at an early stage. Then the treatment can be as successful and fast as possible.
Side effects of chemotherapy for rectal cancer
Chemotherapy for rectal cancer not only kills cancer cells and slows the growth of metastases, but also affects the entire body. Side effects from this type of treatment are inevitable.
Side effects from chemotherapy vary depending on the drugs used and the nature of the disease in general.
In rectal cancer, 5-fluorouracil is usually used. Side effects of this drug include nausea, diarrhea, and mouth ulcers. In some cases, the patient's blood white blood cell count decreases, and as a result, the body is extremely weakened and susceptible to infections. In addition, the patient may have a rash on the legs and arms.
Chemotherapy for colorectal cancer rarely causes hair loss.
Depending on the combination of drugs, the patient may experience neuropathy, that is, numbness and tingling in different parts of the body.
When using Avastatin, side effects similar to flu are often observed - the patient may experience fever, chills and headache.
Complications of chemotherapy for rectal cancer
Rectal cancer is a serious disease that is not always amenable to surgical treatment. In some cases, surgical intervention may not only be impossible, but also useless.
A frequent complication of rectal cancer is complete or partial intestinal obstruction.
Chemotherapy for rectal cancer is a fairly common type of therapy for this disease. But pronounced side effects become complications during chemotherapy.
Severe nausea, diarrhea, decreased white blood cell count and all other side effects described above significantly reduce the patient's quality of life and comfort.
As a rule, chemotherapy for rectal cancer is a highly effective treatment method, both before and after surgery. If surgery is not possible, chemotherapy can significantly prolong the patient's life by destroying cancer cells and slowing the growth of metastases.