Cancer research advances over the past decade have led to significant improvements in colon cancer care. At the Abramson Cancer Center, no one faces colon cancer alone. Our nationally known gastrointestinal (GI) cancer experts work together to customize your treatment plan using today’s latest therapies and tools.
Colon Cancer Treatment: The Penn Medicine Advantage
Penn Medicine’s GI specialists understand the nuances of colon cancer treatment. You can trust our team to make research-based recommendations that reflect your lifestyle and input. Improving lives is always our goal.
Notable features of our colon cancer program include:
- Surgical precision: Colon cancer treatment often requires surgery. Our highly skilled team includes well-known colorectal surgeons with unique expertise in treating all forms of primary and metastatic colon cancer. Meet our GI cancer team.
- Advanced treatment options: Subspecialty training enables our experts to offer the most promising colon cancer treatment developments. Our robust GI Cancer Research Program may give you more choices, such as a targeted therapy still in clinical trials.
- Team mindset: Pathologists, surgeons, medical oncologists and other cancer specialists regularly discuss the details of your case. More eyes lead to a precise diagnosis and personalized treatment recommendations based on a wealth of expertise.
- Endless support: Our GI oncology nurse and patient navigators ensure you see the right specialist for your needs and help you plan the next steps in your care. We can guide you to Penn’s many GI cancer support services, including palliative care services, to help you manage side effects.
- Cancer expertise close to home: Our doctors’ close coordination across Abramson Cancer Center locations brings high-quality cancer care closer to where you live.
Colon Cancer Treatment Options
We create a treatment plan tailored to you. Our experts develop that plan based on many technical details (including cancer cells’ DNA) and your personal input.
Your plan may include:
Surgery
Surgery can effectively treat many colon cancers. Penn’s fellowship-trained team of colorectal surgeons have a long track record of performing complex colon cancer removal procedures safely. They are skilled in open and minimally invasive techniques, including robotic surgery.
We use the least invasive techniques that are best for your situation, preserving healthy tissues whenever possible. Learn more about colon cancer surgery options.
Medical Oncology
Your doctor may recommend one or more systemic medications to treat cancer throughout your body. These drugs treat cancer in different ways.
Penn’s medical oncologists are experts at treating colon and similar GI cancers. This in-depth knowledge helps us recommend medicines that will destroy cancer cells while causing you less discomfort.
Medical oncology treatments include:
Colon Cancer Clinical Trials
As one of the nation’s largest centers dedicated to studying tumors of the digestive tract, we strive to expand treatment options for patients with all types and stages of colon cancer. Find out about GI cancer clinical trials.
Metastatic colon cancer happens when colon cancer cells spread to areas outside the colon, such as the liver. At Penn, our specialists are known worldwide for their expertise in treating advanced colon cancer cases.
We offer:
- HIPEC (heated/hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy): Penn Medicine was one of the first centers in the Philadelphia region to offer this specialized surgical procedure. It treats cancer that has spread to the abdominal cavity with a powerful dose of chemotherapy medicine.
- Advanced therapies for metastatic liver tumors: Our interventional radiologists use minimally invasive procedures, such as chemoembolization, to treat metastatic liver tumors while sparing nearby healthy tissues. We are the only center in Philadelphia to offer hepatic artery infusion pumps (a specialized type of surgical chemotherapy pump).
Request an Appointment
Call 215-615-5858 to speak with a cancer center representative who can guide you to the right colon cancer expert for your needs. You can also request an appointment online.