Partial Colectomy
If colon cancer has spread to or through the colon, a partial colectomy might be required. A partial colectomy is a surgical operation that involves the removal of a large part of the colon. A partial colectomy is performed by a surgeon who removes the cancerous area of the colon. In most cases, patients with colon cancer who have undergone a partial colectomy don’t need additional procedures in order to create a path for wastes to leave the body. The surgeon can usually reattach the two ends of a healthy colon or rectum. This cannot be done in all cases of partial colectomy for colon cancer. In these cases, an opening must be created in the abdominal wall of the patient to allow waste to leave their body. The waste is collected in a special bag that is placed over stoma. Some patients may need to use the stoma or stoma bags permanently while others will only require them temporarily. If the stoma was temporary, then the patient would need to have a second surgery to connect their rectum with their large intestine.
Find out more about colon cancer treatment.
