RESULTS – WHAT DO THEY MEAN?
The part of the bowel removed during the operation will contain a cancer or tumour. This will be examined in the laboratory to indicate the extent of the cancer. In turn, further treatment may be necessary depending upon the stage of the cancer. The exact staging of the cancer is sometimes only known after it has been removed by surgery. To understand staging of bowel cancer, it is worth knowing a little bit about the bowel and the supporting structures.

UNDERSTANDING THE STAGING OF BOWEL CANCER
The staging of a cancer is a term used to explain whether the cancer has spread beyond its original site. The exact staging of the cancer is sometimes only known after it has been removed by surgery. To understand staging of bowel cancer, it is worth knowing a little bit about the bowel and its supporting structures. 

The large bowel is made up of several layers and is supported by blood vessels (arteries and veins). Alongside these arteries and veins are the lymph glands. Lymph glands deal with the transportation of waste materials from cells. The stage of the cancer describes it’s size and whether it has spread beyond its original area of the body. Knowing the extent of the cancer helps the doctors to decide on the most appropriate treatment. Often the exact stage of the bowel cancer can only be known after it has been removed by surgery. Doctors using a staging system created by a pathologist called Dukes to describe large bowel cancer.

The Dukes staging system is:
DUKES A  Localised within the inner lining of the bowel
DUKES B  Has gone through some or all of the layers of the bowel
DUKES C  Has spread into the lymph glands that surround the bowel
DUKES D  When the cancer has spread from the bowel to other organs such as the liver or lungs

This is a basic idea of how the grading system works: Your Consultant or Nurse Specialist will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding staging of bowel cancer. These results are an important guide to your specialist team and are used to guide them when planning treatment for you. When planning any treatment for you, the team will also take into consideration your general health and wellbeing before commencing any treatment. Treatment in itself can sometimes be debilitating and if you are already unwell, the team will consider the best options for you at that time. The histology results may take 10-14 days to be reported. Your consultant and nurse specialist will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding the staging of the bowel cancer.