The High-Tech, Multidisciplinary Management of Colorectal Cancer

Venkatesh Munikrishnan, MRCS(Ed) FRCS(Ed) CCT(UK)

Manish Chand, MBBS, BSc, FRCS, FASCRS, MBA, PhD

This is an exciting era to be involved in surgical oncology. Modern-day cancer treatment uses a combination of basic and clinical science, technology, and engineering, all underpinned by high-quality research. We now have several tools at our disposal to offer our patients the “best in class” approach and commonly reach treatment decisions together following detailed discussions of the options. Patients are, quite rightly, being offered a more personalized approach on the basis of genetic and high-resolution imaging factors which makes the purpose of the multidisciplinary team/tumor board meeting even more important, as often there is case that can be made for more than one treatment strategy.

However, such several viable treatment options can come with their own inherent problems about which is the “optimal treatment.” While there is general consensus on the broad aspects of treating colorectal cancer, what have previously been thought of as nuances, are now developing into treatment strategies in their own right. When, how long, and what type of oncological therapy is most beneficial remain unknown for both colon and rectal cancers, this can lead to variability in treatment strategies. Therefore, being able to understand the various options has never been more important when it comes to counselling our patients.

We have always found the intellectual challenge of understanding the optimal treatment plan for colorectal cancer as one of our main career drivers. Personally, this seed began developing while working closely with Professor Gina Brown at The Royal Marsden and examining the outcomes of the MERCURY Study. I realized, there were so many unexplored avenues and how the combined expertise of the multidisciplinary meeting had limitless potential in their pursuit of greater understanding. This is one of the reasons that I am particularly proud of helping compile this volume, incorporating a multidisciplinary expertise.

This edition examines some of those treatment strategies which are becoming increasingly more common, as they emerge from the realm of clinical trials into everyday practice. They are now beyond experimental strategies and in this edition are critically assessed using the latest evidence by expert authors. We have also included specific subset populations which often get overlooked within large datasets. The volume provides a comprehensive look at colorectal cancer using a high-tech and multidisciplinary approach.

We have assembled a global faculty to provide their expertise across a breadth of topics. We would like to thank them wholeheartedly for their time and dedication in helping put this volume together. Further, and most of all, we would like to thank a wonderful close colleague, Dr Scott Steele, for inviting us to coedit this volume and his tireless efforts to further surgical education. He is a true example of an academic surgeon and educator.

Finally, we hope you, the readership, enjoy this volume and find it a useful reference as we move forward through this modern era of colorectal cancer management.

Publication History

Article published online:
18 September 2020