Surgery for rectal cancer

The type of surgery you have for cancer of the back passage (rectum) depends on the position and the size of your cancer.  

Before your operation for rectal cancer you will have some tests to check you are fit for surgery. You sign a consent form and meet members of the healthcare team who will be looking after you. 

On the day of your operation, you need to do things including stopping eating for a few hours.

After a big operation, you might wake up in the intensive care unit (ICU) or high dependency unit (HDU). You are likely to have a drip into your arm to give you fluids until you are eating and drinking again.

There is a risk of problems or complications after any operation including infection, blood clots, bleeding or an anastomotic leak. You might have problems with your sex life after surgery. Support is available. 

A colostomy is an operation to create an opening (stoma) of the large bowel (colon) onto the surface of the tummy (abdomen). 

You might have surgery if advanced bowel cancer blocks your bowel and causes symptoms of bowel obstruction.  Sometimes you can have surgery to remove cancer that has spread to your liver or lungs.