COLONOSCOPIC TREATMENT FOR EARLY-STAGE RECTAL ADENOCARCINOMA

Abstract

Colorectal cancer is a malignant neoplasm that arises in the colon or rectum, characterized by the uncontrolled growth of epithelial cells, forming invasive tumors that can metastasize. It is the third most common neoplasm globally, with about 1.9 million new cases per year. In Brazil, in 2022, 5,573 deaths from rectal cancer were recorded, with a high incidence among women and a growing concern in younger age groups. Risk factors include type II diabetes mellitus, use of anti-inflammatory drugs, smoking, and obesity, which is related to chronic inflammation and hormonal changes that favor cancer. About 20% of patients with non-metastatic tumors can develop metastases, often affecting the gastrointestinal tract and organs such as the liver and lungs. The main treatment involves surgery and, in some cases, radiation therapy. The recommended screening for people over 50 years old includes colonoscopy, with recent suggestions to start screening five years earlier, due to the overall increase in the incidence of these pathologies.