Bowel & Colorectal Cancer Medical Oncologists in Melbourne
Colorectal cancer includes cancers arising in the colon and rectum. Treatment depends on where the cancer started, how deeply it has grown, whether lymph nodes are involved and whether it has spread to other organs. Surgery is central for many localised cancers, while medical oncology focuses on systemic treatments such as chemotherapy, targeted therapies and immunotherapy. For rectal cancer, chemotherapy and radiotherapy may also be used before surgery as part of a coordinated multidisciplinary plan.
Our team includes oncologists with substantial clinical, research and multidisciplinary experience in gastrointestinal malignancies, including personalised adjuvant chemotherapy decision-making, biomarker-guided treatment and colorectal cancer care.
Rectal cancer treatment often involves a multidisciplinary sequence of radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery. For locally advanced disease, treatment may be given before surgery to reduce the chance of local or distant recurrence and, in some situations, to maximise the possibility of organ preservation. MRI staging is important because the relationship of the tumour to the rectal wall, mesorectal fascia and lymph nodes affects treatment planning. Medical oncologists coordinate systemic therapy and work closely with colorectal surgeons and radiation oncologists.
When colorectal cancer has spread, treatment is highly individualised. Some patients with a limited number of liver or lung metastases may still be candidates for surgery, ablation or other local treatment with curative intent. Others are managed with systemic therapy to control disease and symptoms. Molecular testing for RAS, BRAF, mismatch repair/microsatellite instability and other biomarkers can guide use of targeted therapy or immunotherapy. The side of the colon where the cancer began can also influence treatment selection in advanced disease.
Most anal cancers are biologically different from colorectal adenocarcinoma and are commonly treated with combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy rather than immediate major surgery. The medical oncologist contributes to diagnosis review, staging and selection of concurrent chemotherapy. Follow-up assesses treatment response and manages late effects. Metastatic or recurrent anal cancer may be treated with systemic therapy, including immunotherapy in selected settings.
Medical oncology review generally occurs after colonoscopy, biopsy and staging scans. The pathology report is reviewed for tumour type, grade, lymph nodes, margins and mismatch repair status. In metastatic disease, broader molecular profiling can influence treatment choice. The oncologist also assesses kidney and liver function, neuropathy risk, other illnesses and medications before recommending chemotherapy.
Where liver or lung lesions may be resectable, the case is ideally discussed in a multidisciplinary meeting with surgeons, radiologists and other specialists before a treatment sequence is finalised. The aim is to avoid viewing systemic treatment in isolation when local treatment could change the overall strategy.
Chemotherapy may be given after surgery to reduce recurrence risk, before or after surgery for rectal cancer, or for metastatic disease. Targeted drugs are selected according to tumour biomarkers, while immunotherapy has an important role for cancers with deficient mismatch repair or high microsatellite instability. Treatment schedules can often be adjusted around work, caring responsibilities and other health conditions without losing sight of the cancer treatment objective.
Northern Blood & Cancer Care’s oncologists are closely connected with Northern Health gastrointestinal multidisciplinary services. This enables patients to have private specialist consultations while treatment decisions remain informed by surgery, radiology, pathology and radiation oncology input where appropriate.
Northern Blood & Cancer Care brings together Melbourne specialists with complementary clinical, hospital and research appointments. The clinicians most closely associated with this service include:
Northern Blood & Cancer Care has strong clinical and academic expertise in colorectal cancer. The team’s experience spans personalised adjuvant chemotherapy decision-making, gastrointestinal oncology research and multidisciplinary cancer care – bringing research-informed thinking to decisions about chemotherapy, biomarkers and advanced disease.
Northern Blood & Cancer Care brings together a highly experienced team of haematologists, medical oncologists and specialist physicians, with consultations available at Northern Private Hospital in Epping.
Contact our team to arrange an appointment or discuss a referral.
