Colorectal Cancer

A comprehensive guide will be provided for patients and their caregivers during the recovery phase after surgery. As an overall guide, patients are advised to consume small and frequent meals, monitor their weight closely, and avoid taking too many supplements at this stage. Do check with your doctor and nurse care coordinator.

You will be provided with adequate medical leave to rest from surgery. While resting is important, this should be balanced with some daily walks to improve muscle tone, digestion as well as improving mental well-being. Activity is also important to prevent problems such as blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis) and physical deconditioning especially for the elderly which can lead to further complications.

We also advise not to commence high intensity activity too early after surgery as these may lead to wound problems such as hernias. A good guide is to wait at least 4-6 weeks before commencing such exercises and do check with your doctor and nurse care coordinator.

Wound care advice will be provided upon discharge. There may also be a date provided to remove wound sutures or staples with your family physician or by our medical team. In the event of increasing wound pain, redness or some discharge that is unusual, please contact our team for a review.

A stoma is needed in some circumstances after surgery and will be advised. Stomas are usually temporary and are created to divert stools to allow healing of the anastomosis after removal of typically a rectal cancer. This stoma will be closed in a 2nd operation usually after a few months once you have fully recovered. If chemotherapy is required, the stoma is closed only after chemotherapy is completed in order to avoid any delays in your curative treatment.

If the cancer is a very low rectal cancer or involves the anus or anal canal muscles, surgery will require the removal of the anus, making the stoma a permanent one.

Stoma care will be advised and provided by our care teams along with supporting expert vendors. Stoma care will involve ensuring correct appliances are sized and the type advised based on each individual, and also guides on stoma skin care products.

There will be counselling on overall nutrition and hydration. It is important to regain normal activities of daily living as best even with a stoma and we can provide guidance on how to cope at studying or at work, and also with intimate moments for couples. We will also provide advise on activities such as sports, diving and travel.