Having Surgery? Check Out These Tips from the CDC

A surgical site infection is one that happens in the part of the body where an operation has taken place.

Nearly one in five hospital infections happens at the surgical site according to the Centers for Disease Control.

The CDC has tips that can help you and your health care team prevent surgical site infections.  They will tell you what you can do before and after your operation to reduce the risk that you’ll get an infection. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on June 24th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: surgery, surgical site infections

Choosing the Best Colon Surgery for Lynch Syndrome

Removing the entire colon (subtotal colectomy) is sometimes recommended for patients with Lynch syndrome when colon cancer is diagnosed.  In addition, some people who have an inherited Lynch mutation have their colons removed to prevent colon cancer.

While subtotal colectomy didn’t reduce deaths from Lynch-related colon cancer, it did cut down on additional colorectal cancer diagnoses and the need for other abdominal surgery. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on February 5th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: Lynch syndrome, subtotal colectomy, surgery

No Need to Do Surgery Immediately for Patients with Advanced Colon Cancer

A study from Memorial Sloan Kettering recently showed that patients who have stage IV disease, which means spread to other organs, don’t need to undergo surgery immediately. If the tumor does not cause problems such as obstruction or bleeding, patients appear to do better to start with chemotherapy right away without delay because of the surgery. Continue reading…

Posted by Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD on November 5th, 2009
Posted in: From the Desk of Dr. Lenz | 2 Comments »
Tags: metastatic colorectal cancer, surgery, Treating Colorectal Cancer

Repeat Surgery for CRC Lung Mets Successful

Patients who have had one operation to remove lung tumors that have spread from cancer in their colon or rectum can have good outcomes with a second and even third lung surgery. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on October 30th, 2009
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: lung metastases, surgery

Primary Colorectal Tumors Can Be Safely Left in Place

When cancer has spread beyond the colon or rectum, the primary colorectal tumor can safely be left in place with only rare complications.

Surgeons at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York followed 233 patients who began chemotherapy without surgery to remove their primary colon or rectal tumor. Almost 90 percent never had a problem with their tumor that needed intervention with surgery, radiation, or a stent. Only 7 percent required emergency surgery. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on June 7th, 2009
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: ASCO 2009, metastatic colorectal cancer, surgery