Bowel cancer

Question 1

Approximately how much more common is colon cancer than rectal cancer?

Answer 1

1.5x

Question 2

Which form of IBD is more strongly associated with bowel cancer?

Answer 2

Ulcerative colitis

Question 3

Which bowel cancer conditions are familial?

Answer 3

Hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer (HNPCC), familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and Gardner’s syndrome.

Question 4

What histiological type are 90-95% of epithelial bowel cancers - the most common type?

Answer 4

Adenocarcinomas

Question 5

What percentage of rectal cancers can be felt with a digital rectal exam?

Answer 5

75%

Question 6

What is a useful tumour marker to monitor in bowel cancers?

Answer 6

CEA (carcino-embryonic antigen)

Question 7

What staging systems are used in bowel cancer?

Answer 7

TNM and Duke’s staging (A-D)

Question 8

What is the standard treatment for primary colorectal carcinomas?

Answer 8

Radical resection

Question 9

Radiotherapy is predominantly used for which type of bowel cancer?

Answer 9

Rectal carcinoma

Question 10

When is adjuvant chemotherapy indicated in bowel cancer?

Answer 10

High risk colorectal cancers (Duke’s C)

Question 11

Is there a national screening programme for bowel cancer?

Answer 11

Yes, faecal occult blood testing of average-risk populations (with follow up colonoscopy for positive cases). Offered every 2 years to males and females aged 60-74, 3 samples provided.