Types of Cancer We Treat

Types of Rectal Cancer

The most common type of Rectal Cancer is an adenocarcinoma, which develops from a polyp in the lining of the rectum. Other rare types may include:

• Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors is a rare cancer which develops in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract and can form in the rectum.
• Rectal Leiomyosarcoma where the tumor begins in the layers of muscle in the rectum.
• Colorectal Lymphoma, which commonly develop in the lymph nodes but can begin in the rectum.
• Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP), which is an inherited syndrome that can cause hundreds to thousands of polyps in the rectum or colon.

Types of Colon Cancer

We used to treat colorectal cancer universally as the same type of cancer. Now, with the help of tumor DNA profiling, we know there are significant differences in tumors that come from the right side of the colon (closer to the liver), the left side of the colon (closer to the rectum), and the rectum itself. These distinctions are important because they impact how effective treatments may be for patients with advanced disease.