Prevention

There is no sure way to prevent colorectal cancer from returning or showing up in other parts of your body. After you have had it, your risk of having it again increases. When it comes back, it is called metastatic or recurrent colorectal cancer. It often comes back after surgery, especially if it was not discovered when it was in an early stage.²

But there are lifestyle changes that can help you after treatment. Research shows that these things may help:³

• Quitting smoking, if you smoke
• Keeping a healthy body mass index (BMI)
• Being physically active with regular exercise
• Eating more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, poultry, and fish
• Eating less red meat, refined grains, and sweets

Initial treatment for colorectal cancer is followed by regular doctor visits and screening to help catch the cancer if it returns.

The frequency of your follow-up visits and how often you have more tests will depend on your general health and the type of colorectal cancer you had. As part of your follow-up visits, you may have:

• Physical exams. In general, you will see a doctor every 3 to 6 months for several years, and then less often after that.
• Colonoscopy to look at the inside of your intestine for new problems.
• Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) blood test to check whether colorectal cancer has returned.
• Chest X-rays to find out whether cancer has returned to involve your lungs.
• Lab tests, such as a complete blood count and chemistry screen, to look for evidence of cancer.
• A computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look inside your body.
• A positron emission tomography (PET) scan to look for and check any signs of cancer.