Colorectal Cancer
Save the Excuses, Get Screened!
Colon cancer is one of the deadliest cancers, yet also one of the most treatable if found early.
If you’re 45 and older, it's time to get screened regularly.
We suggest you talk to your healthcare provider about screening options, your risk factors and the age they recommend you begin receiving colon cancer screenings.
If you don’t have a regular healthcare provider to help coordinate screenings and other healthcare needs, we can help. Click on the Find a Provider button or click on the phone number below.
Find A Provider | 1-877-525-2227
You may be at higher risk for colon cancer depending on your family health history or lifestyle choices including:
- Not being physically active
- A diet high in red meat and processed meats
- Smoking
- Alcohol use
St. Peter's Health Partners helps you achieve whole-person wellness by offering a full range of colorectal health services. From routine screenings to the most advanced cancer treatments, we bring world-class care to the Capital Region.
St. Peter's Colleague, Nora Jackson, says early screening saved her life.
Colorectal Cancer Care at St. Peter's Health Partners: Why Choose Us?
People throughout Albany, Troy and the surrounding areas choose us as their partner for colorectal and gastrointestinal cancers because we offer:
- Surgical expertise: St. Peter's Hospital has been named a U.S. News & World Report High-Performing Hospital for Colon Cancer Surgery since 2016. An experienced, skilled team of specialists provides expert, personalized care.
- Collaborative team: Board-certified medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, gastroenterologists and interventional endoscopists work together to design a treatment plan that fits your needs.
- Innovative treatments: We excel in performing advanced endoscopic, laparoscopic and robotic procedures for colorectal cancers. These highly specialized techniques can help you heal with less downtime.
What Is Colorectal Cancer?
Colon and rectal cancer (also known as colorectal cancer or bowel cancer) is a type of gastrointestinal cancer. It tends to grow slowly, usually starting as growths (polyps) in the colon.
Talk to your doctor if you experience any of these issues, as they could be a sign of bowel disease:
- Change in bowel habits
- Rectal bleeding or bloody stool
- Persistent abdominal pain or bloating
- Unexplained weight loss
Colon Cancer Screening: Colonoscopy
Routine screening colonoscopies are the best way to detect cancer or precancerous polyps. When we find and treat colorectal cancer in its early stages, before it spreads to other parts of the body, survival rates are excellent.
Listen to the personal experiences of St. Peter's Health Partners colleagues Tamara Wanchisen and Lance Smith who know firsthand how important it is to get screened.
A colonoscopy is an endoscopic procedure that requires sedation. A gastroenterologist uses a thin tube with a video camera at one end (colonoscope) to examine your colon and rectum. In some cases, we can remove precancerous polyps during a colonoscopy.
St. Peter's Health Partners has an extensive network of gastroenterologists throughout the Capital Region, making it easy to find the right doctor for your needs. We also offer free colorectal cancer screenings for eligible people in the Greater Capital Region.
Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis
If we suspect you have colorectal cancer, we may perform additional tests using endoscopic technology. Endoscopic ultrasound or flexible sigmoidoscopy are minimally invasive examinations that use an endoscope (thin tube) to examine the colon and rectum.
Colorectal Cancer Treatment
We may recommend a combination of medical oncology (chemotherapy or immunotherapy), radiation therapy and surgery to treat colorectal cancer.
Colorectal cancer surgery
We specialize in advanced endoscopic procedures for early-stage colorectal tumors. Interventional endoscopists and gastroenterologists at St. Peter's Hospital Advanced Endoscopy & Hepatobiliary Center perform minimally invasive, outpatient procedures that may cure cancer without major surgery.
We offer:
- Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) to remove small tumors while leaving the digestive organs in place
- Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) to remove larger tumors and possibly reattach parts of the digestive tract
- Endoscopic full thickness resection (EFTR) to remove growths deep in the lining of the digestive tract
For more complex colorectal cancers, we may need to remove part or all of the colon, rectum and surrounding lymph nodes. Our surgeons excel in highly specialized techniques such as laparoscopic colon resection and sphincter-sparing rectal surgery. Whenever possible, we try to prevent the need for a colostomy to preserve your quality of life. If you do need a colostomy, we'll give you the tools and education for colostomy management and self-care.
Find a Colorectal Provider
Call to request an appointment or learn more about your options for cancer treatment at St. Peter’s Health Partners.
Meet Our Providers 1-877-525-2227