Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among both men and women, and in 1999, efforts by The Prevent Cancer Foundation® led to the designation March as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
In a UF Health MedEd Cast, Radiation Oncology Assistant Professor Kathryn Hitchcock M.D., PhD (right) discusses colorectal cancer awareness, describing next steps if rectal cancer is suspected, as well as current treatment for rectal cancer. She also explains recent and ongoing changes in rectal cancer treatment and outlines the current shift in thinking regarding management of metastatic colorectal cancer.
Listen to the podcast here.
Screening for colorectal cancer is extremely important, because symptoms such as a change in bowel habits, more frequent diarrhea or constipation, abdominal pain, or unexplained weight loss can be initially subtle and easy to ignore. Read more about colorectal cancer symptoms on the CDC website.
UF Health Radiation Oncology at the Davis Cancer Pavilion offers the only Elekta Unity MR Linac in the southeastern U.S. This new technology combines individualized adaptive planning and precision treatment delivery to minimize side effects and promote quality of life in colorectal cancer patients.
The Unity allows the UF team to visualize tumor and surrounding normal tissues and adapt the treatment field to the daily anatomy changes in the pelvis, such as differences in rectal and bladder filling.
Learn more about radiation therapy at UF Health here.
