Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal Cancer Treatment in Kolkata: Expert Care by Dr. Sandip Ganguly

Welcome to Dr. Sandip Ganguly’s information page on colorectal cancer. As a senior and experienced medical oncologist, Dr. Ganguly offers personalized, evidence-based care for patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. He ensures that patients receive the highest standard of compassionate care through a multidisciplinary approach with the latest advancements in cancer diagnosis and treatment.

What is Colorectal Cancer?

Colorectal cancer refers to cancer that develops in the colon or rectum, which are parts of the large intestine. It typically begins as benign growths called polyps that may become cancerous over time.

In India, colorectal cancer is the sixth most common cancer. It is highly preventable and curable when detected early through screening.

Types of Colorectal Cancer

Dr. Ganguly ensures precise diagnosis through biopsy and histopathological examination. Common types include:

Adenocarcinoma: This is the most frequent type, originating from mucus-producing glands.
Mucinous Adenocarcinoma and Signet-Ring Cell Carcinoma: These are subtypes of adenocarcinoma that tend to be more aggressive.
Neuroendocrine Variants: These are rare types. Neuroendocrine tumors generally grow slowly, while neuroendocrine carcinomas are aggressive.
Lymphomas or Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GISTs): These are uncommon but can occur in the colon or rectum.

Understanding Risk Factors

Understanding the risk factors is essential to help prevent colorectal cancer. The important risk factors include:

Age: The risk of developing colorectal cancer increases after the age of 50 years.
Family History: A family history of colorectal cancer or polyps increases your risk compared to the general population. Inherited genetic syndromes can also significantly escalate the risk.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): A history of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease increases the chances of colorectal cancer.
Lifestyle: Colorectal cancer is one type of cancer directly associated with our lifestyle. Not engaging in regular physical activity, and increased consumption of high-fat, low-fiber diets, multiply the risk several times. Smoking and alcohol use further increase the risk.

Prevention and Screening

Colorectal cancer is one of the cancers which can be detected even before it becomes cancerous with proper screening. Early detection is the key to prevent colorectal cancer from occurring and spreading.

Screening Strategies:

Colonoscopy screening: Recommended from age of 50 years and then every 10 years. For high risk population like those who are genetically predisposed to develop colo rectal cancer, the starting age of screening colonoscopy is earlier and at much shorter interval.
Fecal DNA detection test: Recommended every 3 years.

Prevention Tips:

Undergo colonoscopy screening from age 50 (or earlier for high-risk individuals).
Ensure polyp removal during colonoscopy.
Adopt a high-fiber, low-fat diet.
Maintain a healthy body weight.
Quit smoking and reduce alcohol consumption.
Engage in regular physical activity.
Consider genetic testing and family screening if there is family history of cancer.

Dr. Ganguly provides guidance for individuals and families to determine if they belong to high risk categories for colorectal cancer He also offers genetic counseling and testing to personalize the screening strategies and lifestyle adjustments for early detection and prevention of colorectal cancer.

Staging of Colorectal Cancer

Cancer staging is based on size and extent of the tumor, involvement of lymph nodes and spread of the disease.

Stage 0: Carcinoma in situ (cancer is confined to the very top layer).
Stage I: Cancer is limited to the bowel wall.
Stage II: Cancer has extended through the bowel wall but has not involved local lymph nodes.
Stage III: Cancer has spread to the nearby lymph nodes.
Stage IV: Cancer has metastasized (spread) to distant organs such as the liver, lungs, or peritoneum.

The stage, type and genetics of the cancer determines the treatment options and helps to predict the patient’s prognosis.

Fact: Colorectal cancer is highly preventable and curable when detected early through screening.

Treatment Options with Dr. Sandip Ganguly

Dr. Sandip Ganguly offers a personalized treatment plan based on the tumor’s biology, stage, molecular characteristics, and the patient’s overall health status.

Surgery

This is the cornerstone of treatment for early and locally advanced disease. For rectal cancers, surgery is often performed after radiation and/or chemotherapy to improve the success of resection. For selected patients with Stage IV metastatic colorectal cancer, removal of the metastatic sites (metastasectomy) is performed as it improves survival.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is used after surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy) to reduce the chance of recurrence and destroy the microscopic residual cancer cells in the body after surgery. For rectal cancer, a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy is given before doing the surgery to make the surgery easier and successful. Chemotherapy is also the primary treatment for patients with metastatic colorectal Cancer which spreads to the other parts of the body (metastatic disease) when surgery and radiation cannot be used . The most common drugs include 5-Fluorouracil (5FU), Oxaliplatin, Irinotecan, and Capecitabine.

Radiation Therapy

his is primarily used for rectal cancer. Pre-operative chemoradiation helps to shrink tumors, making surgery easier. Post-operative radiotherapy after surgery helps to reduce local recurrence. Advanced techniques like Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and Image-Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT) are used for precisely target the disease minimising harm to nearby normal healthy tissue

Targeted Therapy

These therapies block specific pathways to stop cancer growth. They are used for specific genetic mutations found in the tumor, such as KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, HER2, and NTRK. Examples include anti-EGFR antibodies (Cetuximab, Panitumumab), anti-VEGF antibodies (Bevacizumab, Ramucirumab), Regorafenib, Encorafenib, Trifluridine/Tipiracil, and Fruquintinib.

Immunotherapy

This treatment boosts the body's own immune system to fight cancer. It is used for tumors with specific characteristics, such as MSI-H/dMMR status. Checkpoint inhibitors like Pembrolizumab, Nivolumab, and Ipilimumab are examples of immunotherapy drugs used.

Expert Tip: Molecular testing is crucial to identify genetic mutations that guide targeted therapy and immunotherapy, offering more effective and personalized treatment options.

Why Patients Trust Dr. Sandip Ganguly

Patients trust Dr. Sandip Ganguly for several reasons:

Expertise in colorectal and gastrointestinal cancers.
Emphasis on personalized, precision oncology.
Access to advanced diagnostics, molecular profiling, and clinical trials.
Strong collaboration with surgical, radiation, and genetic specialists.
Compassionate approach focused on patient well-being and survivorship.

Book an Appointment with Dr. Sandip Ganguly

If you or a loved one has symptoms of colorectal cancer, has a family history of cancer, been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, or you're seeking a second opinion, don’t wait. Get expert advice and cutting-edge treatment under the guidance of Dr. Sandip Ganguly.

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Dr. Sandip Ganguly

Seasoned Medical Oncologist with 15+ years of cancer care experience.

+91 99039 74739

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