Colon Cancer
You are at the center of everything we do at the Colorectal Cancer Specialty Clinic at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Here, we surround you with a team of specialists who work together closely to provide expertly targeted, complete care and compassionate support throughout your treatment and beyond.
We guide you every step of the way, combining our deep clinical expertise in colorectal cancer with a commitment to meet your unique needs.
Why Choose Fred Hutch?
Experienced Colorectal Cancer Specialists
Our patients receive state-of-the-art care — from accurate diagnosis and staging to the latest treatments — from some of the world’s leading physicians. In fact, our physicians help define the national standards for colorectal cancer care. We treat many patients with nonmetastatic colon cancer as well as a large number of people with metastatic disease.
Comprehensive Colon Cancer Treatment
Our physicians are experts in the full spectrum of treatments colon cancer may require. Based on the unique characteristics of your tumor, your team may recommend surgery, chemotherapy or targeted therapy, all available here.
Colon Cancer Clinical Trials
To give you access to the most innovative therapies, we unite the leading researchers and cancer specialists of Fred Hutch and UW Medicine so you can take part in colorectal cancer clinical studies not available everywhere.
A National Leader in Cancer Care
Fred Hutch is the leading cancer treatment center in the region and among the top nationally, according to U.S. News & World Report.
NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center
We are a comprehensive cancer center, a designation from the National Cancer Institute that reflects our scientific leadership and the depth and breadth of our research to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.
Learn About Colon Cancer
Most colon cancers begin as a growth called a polyp and develop slowly over many years. Screenings, like colonoscopies, give your physician the opportunity to remove polyps before they become cancerous or to spot cancer at an early stage, when it is easier to cure.
Treatment for Colon Cancer
Our physicians are experts in the full spectrum of treatments colon cancer may require. Based on the unique characteristics of your tumor, your team may recommend surgery, chemotherapy or targeted therapy, all available here.
Colon Cancer Care Team
At Fred Hutch, you receive care from a team of providers with extensive experience in your disease. Your team includes physicians, a patient care coordinator, a registered nurse, an advanced practice provider and others, based on your needs. You also have access to experts like nutritionists, social workers, acupuncturists, psychiatrists and more who specialize in supporting people with cancer or blood disorders.
Second Opinions
If you’ve been diagnosed with colon cancer, we recommend getting a second opinion before choosing where you’ll be treated.
Though you can benefit from a second opinion at any time, it is most valuable when you are first diagnosed and have the widest array of treatment options.
Fred Hutch is home to the region’s only Colorectal Cancer Specialty Clinic, where our medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists and supportive care professionals come together weekly to discuss and care for people with colon cancer as a team. During a single visit you get the second opinion of not one doctor but an entire group of specialists.
How a Second Opinion Can Help
Getting a second opinion from doctors who specialize in colon cancer can help you:
Feel Confident That Your Cancer Has Been Accurately Diagnosed and Staged
Pathologists, radiologists and gastroenterologists from Fred Hutch are experts in diagnosing colon cancers and have access to the latest technologies to help ensure we know as much about your cancer as possible.
Consider State-Of-The-Art Treatment Options
A second opinion may identify better, more advanced or more aggressive options, including minimally invasive techniques, such as laparoscopic surgery, and clinical studies of new chemotherapies.
If your cancer has spread to your liver, we offer a wide array of therapies, from concurrent colon and liver surgeries to transarterial chemoembolization, for secondary tumors through the Liver Tumor Clinic at UW Medical Center - Montlake.
Understand the Benefits of Specialized, Multidisciplinary Care
The team of colon cancer specialists from Fred Hutch offers in-depth understanding of the full spectrum of treatments. We have first-hand knowledge of current research and a wealth of treatment experience.
Start with a Course of Therapy Tailored to You
We focus on you, not just your cancer, when developing a treatment plan. We consider your goals, plans, beliefs, values and preferences to design your treatment holistically.
Learn Whether Genetics Play a Role
Your genetic make-up may have played a role in the development of your cancer, and it might impact your treatment. All patients who come to our Colorectal Cancer Specialty Clinic have genetic testing and microsatellite instability testing, which can identify a DNA-repair problem that leads to tumors. Some patients need further testing for a hereditary condition called Lynch syndrome. Depending on our findings, you and your family may benefit from Fred Hutch’s Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program.
Request a Second Opinion
We recognize that colon cancer is serious. Getting a second opinion does not have to delay the start of your treatment. We aim to see you within one week.
To request a second opinion with a Fred Hutch physician, call 855.557.0555
Screening and Prevention
The vast majority of colon cancers can be prevented with screening tests that allow physicians to find and remove polyps before they become cancerous.
If cancer has already begun, a screening gives your doctor the opportunity to spot the signs at an early stage — when the disease is easier to cure and before you would likely notice symptoms.
Latest Treatments and Clinical Trials
Many patients at Fred Hutch receive promising therapies by taking part in clinical trials. These research studies are done by physician-scientists from Fred Hutch and UW Medicine. They test new treatments or new ways to use current treatments.
Every advance in cancer treatment in recent years has come out of clinical trials. We offer more active clinical trials than anywhere else, which means more treatment options for patients like you.
To give you access to the most innovative therapies, we unite the leading researchers and cancer specialists of Fred Hutch and UW Medicine so you can take part in colorectal cancer clinical studies not available everywhere.
For some people, taking part in a clinical study may be the best treatment choice. Access to clinical studies by researchers at Fred Hutch and UW Medicine is one reason many patients come to us for care.
