Rectal 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.g.
Why Choose Fred Hutch for Rectal Cancer Treatment?
Experienced Colorectal Cancer Specialists
Fred Hutch 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 doctors help define the national standards for colorectal cancer care. We treat many patients with nonmetastatic rectal cancer as well as a large number of people with metastatic disease.
Comprehensive Rectal Cancer Treatment
Our physicians are experts in the full spectrum of treatments rectal cancer may require. Based on the unique characteristics of your tumor, your team may recommend radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery or targeted therapy, all available here.
Rectal 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.
Where You're Treated First Matters Most
Studies have shown that patients evaluated and treated at a multidisciplinary cancer center, like Fred Hutch, have better outcomes and that the first treatment you receive for cancer is by far the most important. Patients who begin treatment at Fred Hutch often have better outcomes than those who started treatment elsewhere.
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 (NCI) that reflects our scientific leadership and the depth and breadth of our research to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.
Learn About Rectal Cancer
Most rectal 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 Rectal Cancer
Fred Hutch experts offer comprehensive care for rectal cancer, including advanced treatments and new options available only through clinical studies.
Many patients are seen at our Colorectal Cancer Specialty Clinic. At this clinic, all of the specialists who will be involved in your care will meet to design treatment that’s tailored to you. You will receive a multidisciplinary treatment plan in a single day.
Rectal 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 registered dieticians, social workers, acupuncturists, psychiatrists and more who specialize in supporting people with cancer or blood disorders.
Second Opinions
If you’ve been diagnosed with rectal 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 rectal cancer as a team. During a single visit you get the second opinion of not one physician but an entire group of specialists.
We recognize that rectal 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. Call us at 855.557.0555 to request an appointment for a second opinion.
How a Second Opinion Can Help
Getting a second opinion from physicians who specialize in rectal 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 rectal 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 for treatment, including sphincter-sparing surgeries, clinical studies of new chemotherapies and advanced radiation technologies, such as proton therapy.
Understand the Benefits of Specialized, Multidisciplinary Care
The team of rectal 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.
Screening and Early Detection
Colorectal cancer screenings allow your doctor 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.
For some people, taking part in a clinical study may be the best treatment choice. Access to clinical studies by researchers at both Fred Hutch and UW Medicine is one reason many patients come to us for care.
