Stage 0 (Carcinoma in Situ)
Stage I Rectal Cancer
Stage II Rectal Cancer
Stage III Rectal Cancer
Stage IV Rectal Cancer

A link to a list of current clinical trials is included for each treatment section. For some types or stages of cancer, there may not be any trials listed. Check with your doctor for clinical trials that are not listed here but may be right for you.

Treatment of stage 0 may include the following:

• Local excision (surgery to remove the tumor without cutting into the abdomen) or simple polypectomy (surgery to remove a growth that protrudes from the rectal mucous membrane).
• Resection (surgery to remove the tumor). This is done when the tumor is too large to remove by local excision.
• Internal or external radiation therapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage 0 rectal cancer.

Treatment of stage I rectal cancer may include the following:

• Surgery to remove the tumor with or without anastomosis (joining the cut ends of the rectum).
• Surgery to remove the tumor with or without radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
• Internal and/or external radiation therapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage I rectal cancer.

Treatment of stage II rectal cancer may include the following:

• Resection with or without anastomosis (joining the cut ends of the rectum and colon, or the colon and anus) followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
• Partial or total pelvic exenteration (surgery to remove the organs and nearby structures of the pelvis), depending on where the cancer has spread. Surgery is followed by radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
• Radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy followed by surgery and chemotherapy.
• Radiation therapy during surgery followed by external-beam radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
• A clinical trial evaluating new treatment options.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage II rectal cancer.

Treatment of stage III rectal cancer may include the following:

• Resection with or without anastomosis (joining the cut ends of the rectum and colon, or the colon and anus) followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
• Partial or total pelvic exenteration (surgery to remove the organs and nearby structures of the pelvis), depending on where the cancer has spread. Surgery is followed by radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
• Radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy followed by surgery and chemotherapy.
• Radiation therapy during surgery followed by external-beam radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy to relieve symptoms caused by advanced cancer.
• A clinical trial evaluating new treatment options.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage III rectal cancer.

Treatment of stage IV rectal cancer may include the following:

• Resection /anastomosis (surgery to remove the cancer and join the cut ends of the rectum and colon, or colon and anus) to relieve symptoms caused by advanced cancer.
• Surgery to remove parts of other organs, such as the liver, lung, and ovaries, where the cancer may have spread.
• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy to relieve symptoms caused by advanced cancer.
• Chemotherapy following surgery.
• Clinical trials of chemotherapy and biological therapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage IV rectal cancer.

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