Treating Stage 1 Colorectal Cancer

Following your colorectal cancer diagnosis, your team of doctors will begin to advise you on the treatment options that are available and which are most suitable for your diagnosis. Depending on your stage, cancer/tumor type and genetics, some treatments may be more or less effective than others and having a better understanding of what to expect can help you make more informed decisions.

In this series of articles, we cover the types of treatment that you may be recommended based on the cancer stage when you are diagnosed. We hope this helps you keep a positive mindset while preparing for the next phase of your journey with cancer.

This article will outline and explain the available and likely treatments for stage 1 colorectal cancer.

Stage 1 colorectal cancer, based on the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM system, is described as cancerous growth that has grown into colon’s wall but has not spread further. Tumors that have spread from the mucosa to the submucosa and muscularis propria but have not reached the subserosa and serosa or have not penetrated the outer intestinal wall are considered as stage 1 cancers.

Like stage 0 colorectal cancer, the most effective and commonly used treatment is surgery to remove the cancerous growth. If the tumor is small enough, surgery is usually enough to completely remove the cancer. Radiation therapy may be offered as an alternative to surgery in treating rectal cancer.

For early stage rectal cancer, surgery is usually recommended as the standard curative treatment. While some clinics may offer radiation therapy as part of an alternative to surgery, radiation alone is not standard and would not be considered curative.

The removed tissue is sent for laboratory testing, and if no other abnormalities are found, you would be able to resume normal life once you have fully recovered after surgery. Your doctor may recommend and schedule regular screening for colorectal cancer thereafter as a precaution.

You might be wondering why stage 0 and stage 1 colorectal cancer are differentiated even though both are usually treated by surgically removing the growth.

The difference lies in how deep into the intestinal wall the cells are found. According to the NCCN Guidelines for patients, stage 0 cells are found only on the mucosa of the intestine, and have yet to spread further. This is also referred to as carcinoma in situ. Meanwhile, stage 1 cancer cells are classified as such when they have grown into the submucosa or muscularis propria. In both cases, excision of the polyp or tissue is done to prevent spreading, as it will continue to do so if left unchecked.

Thankfully, both stage 0 and 1 colorectal cancer are highly treatable since they remain localized in the original area, and generally surgical removal of the tumor alone is adequate treatment that results in long term cure. Stage 0 colorectal cancer may also be treated with an endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), a minimally invasive procedure that targets tumors in the lining under the mucosa.