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Cancer Explained

Understanding Colorectal Cancer

Understand colorectal cancer from the ground up — what it is, how screening and colonoscopy work, diagnosis and staging, treatment, and living well.

11 stepsAbout 62 min total

This learning path is educational only. It is not a treatment plan. Your healthcare team can help you understand what applies to your situation.

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  1. Read6 min

    What is colorectal cancer?

    The basics of colon and rectal cancer.

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  2. Read5 min

    Signs and symptoms

    Changes to watch for and when to ask a doctor.

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  3. Read5 min

    Colorectal screening

    The tests that can catch it early.

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  4. Read5 min

    Colonoscopy explained

    What to expect from a colonoscopy.

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  5. Read5 min

    What a biopsy involves

    How a sample confirms the diagnosis.

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  6. Read6 min

    Understanding staging

    What stage means and why it matters.

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  7. Read7 min

    Treatment overview

    Surgery, chemotherapy, and other options.

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  8. Read6 min

    Coping with side effects

    Common side effects and how they are managed.

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  9. Tool5 min

    Questions to ask your team

    Prepare questions for your appointment.

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  10. Clinical trials6 min

    Colorectal clinical trials

    How trials fit into colorectal cancer care.

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  11. Read6 min

    Living well afterward

    Survivorship and follow-up care.

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Helpful words to know

Plain-language definitions in our glossary.

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NCI: Colorectal Cancer (opens in a new tab)

Read the source material at the National Cancer Institute (cancer.gov).

Visit cancer.gov