Colorectal

Summary

In 1997, the Department of Health published a document called Improving Outcomes in Colorectal Cancer. NICE has now published an updated version for the NHS in England and Wales. Some of the original recommendations have been updated, and further recommendations have been added.

The key recommendations are:

• People who may have colorectal cancer should be offered rapid referral for endoscopy
• Endoscopy should be available for diagnosis
• People should be treated by a multidisciplinary team
• Colorectal teams treating people with rectal cancer should have special training
• People who need emergency treatment should be treated by a colorectal cancer team
• Information and support should be improved

Documents

For healthcare professionals

• Improving outcomes in colorectal cancers: Manual update
• Improving outcomes in colorectal cancers: Research evidence for the Manual update
• The appendices from the original (1997) manual
• Test link

For patients, carers and the public

• Healthcare services for bowel (colorectal) cancer: Information for the public
• Gwasanaethau gofal iechyd ar gyfer canser y coluddyn (colorectol): Deall cyfarwyddyd NICE - gwybodaeth i'r cyhoedd

Background information

• Scope: Improving outcomes in colorectal cancer

Implementing this guidance

Any further information NICE has produced to help the NHS implement this guideline locally is linked to below:

• None found