Care pathways

Rectal cancer treatment at Sunnybrook: A week by week guide for patients

Weeks of care:

2 — Your diagnosis is made and staging of your cancer is complete

5 — If necessary, radiation and chemotherapy are administered over a five-week period

8 — You will have an eight-week treatment break, which will also include re-imaging and another colonoscopy

6 — You will undergo surgery, including, if necessary, the attachment of a stoma (temporary pouch); recovery time will be six weeks

24 — Consolidation chemotherapy and (if necessary) the reversal of your stoma will occur over a 24-week period

Colon cancer treatment at Sunnybrook: a week-by-week guide for patients

Weeks of care:

2 — You will be diagnosed within two weeks of your colonoscopy or referral

2 — Staging your cancer and providing a work up will take two weeks

6 — You can anticipate six weeks for your surgery and recovery

24 — Adjuvant chemotherapy is administered for 24 weeks