Gastroenterology and hepatology
Colorectal cancer
Risk factors and hereditary syndromes, immunochemical FOBT and the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, family history categories, presentation and staging, stage-based treatment of colon and rectal cancer, MMR status, biomarker-driven treatment of metastatic disease, and surveillance.
Tier 1Condition
Written with AI assistance and fact-checked against the sources below. For exam study, not clinical decisions. How notes are made
At a glance
- Colorectal cancer is the fourth commonest cancer in Australia and the second commonest cause of cancer death, with about 15,000 new cases a year.
- Most cancers arise from adenomas (or sessile serrated lesions) over about 10 years, which is why screening and polypectomy prevent cancer.
- Screening: the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) offers a free immunochemical FOBT every 2 years from 45 to 74.
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Sources
- Cancer Council Australia. Clinical practice guidelines for the prevention, early detection and management of colorectal cancer (2017; population screening chapter updated to start at 45, risk and screening based on family history chapter updated)AU/NZCancer Council Australia, 2017, chapters updated
- National Bowel Cancer Screening ProgramAU/NZAustralian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- Cervantes A et al. Metastatic colorectal cancer: ESMO Clinical Practice Guideline for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Ann Oncol 2023;34:10-32European Society for Medical Oncology, 2023
- Argilés G et al. Localised colon cancer: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Ann Oncol 2020;31:1291-1305European Society for Medical Oncology, 2020
- NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology, Colon Cancer and Rectal CancerNational Comprehensive Cancer Network, 2026
- Grothey A et al. Duration of adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer (IDEA). N Engl J Med 2018;378:1177-1188New England Journal of Medicine, 2018
- André T et al. Pembrolizumab in microsatellite-instability-high advanced colorectal cancer (KEYNOTE-177). N Engl J Med 2020;383:2207-2218New England Journal of Medicine, 2020
- Cercek A et al. PD-1 blockade in mismatch repair-deficient, locally advanced rectal cancer. N Engl J Med 2022;386:2363-2376New England Journal of Medicine, 2022
- Last updated
- 14 November 2026
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