Rectum

The rectum is the lower part of the large bowel. Cancer found in the rectum can also be called colorectal cancer.Cancer of the rectum begins as cellular changes in the topmost layer of the epithelium. Rectal cancer tends to affect people over the age of 50 years, with men more at risk than women.If treated in its earliest stages, rectal cancer is highly curable. If untreated, stray cancer cells can migrate around the body via the lymphatic system and develop secondary cancers.

Symptoms
The symptoms of rectal cancer include:

A change in previous bowel habits, such as constipation or diarrhoea

Urgency to pass bowel motions

A sensation that the bowel isn’t empty after going to the toilet

Bleeding from the anus

Abdominal pain.

Abdominal pain.
Factors that may increase a person’s risk of rectal cancer include:

Advancing age

Family history of colon cancer

Polyps in the rectum

Pre-existing inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis

High fat, low fibre, low calcium diet

Obesity.

Diagnosis
Rectal cancer is diagnosed using a range of tests including: Rectal examination, Faecal occult blood test, Proctoscope or sigmoidoscope, Colonoscopy, Biopsy, Barium enema – special fluid is squirted into the rectum and x-rays are taken, Endorectal ultrasound, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Treatment
Treatment for rectal cancer depends on its stage, but may include:

Surgery – the cancer and associated rectal tissue as well as nearby lymph nodes are removed either through the anus or via an abdominal incision. The rectum is then sewn back together. If a large amount of tissue is removed, it may not be possible to close the rectum and a colostomy will be needed, either temporarily or permanently.

Radiation therapy – high doses of precisely targeted radiation are used to kill cancer cells.

Chemotherapy – cancer-killing drugs are administered by intravenous injection or by mouth.