Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis

We pioneer advanced technologies and help develop the latest diagnostic protocols to diagnose your colorectal cancer completely. We diagnose the specific type or sub-type of colorectal cancer and determine its stage of progression — the stage of your disease indicates how much it has spread through the layers of the wall of your colon or rectum, and whether it has spread to other organs and lymph nodes. But beyond that, we’ll analyze your cancer on a molecular level to determine what’s driving it and how best to stop it. Because your cancer is as unique as you are.

Early-stage colorectal cancer does not usually have symptoms. People who experience the following signs should talk to their doctor right away.

• Any change in bowel habits (diarrhea, constipation or narrow stool) that does not resolve after a few days
• The feeling of needing to have a bowel movement that doesn’t go away even after having one
• Rectal bleeding or blood in the stool, which can make it look dark brown or black
• Cramping or abdominal pain
• Weakness and fatigue
• Unintended weight loss
• Anemia, or low red blood cell count

If you exhibit colorectal cancer symptoms or receive abnormal results from a screening test, your team will order diagnostic testing. Because no two colorectal cancers are the same. Even in the same stage and location, your cancer will differ from other patients’. And we need to understand your cancer to treat it properly. We know you’re anxious to move forward with treatment, but this step is critical, and it only takes a few days. At Winship, we utilize the following tools to ensure a thorough and accurate colorectal cancer diagnosis.

Laboratory testing. We will conduct and analyze stool and blood tests to check for anemia (a symptom of colorectal cancer) and tumor markers.

Diagnostic colonoscopy. If you have symptoms of colorectal cancer or a screening stool test comes back abnormal, you will have a colonoscopy. The exam is performed under sedation. It involves a physician inserting a long, thin tube through the anus to examine the rectum and colon for suspicious lesions or growths. If found, the physician can remove a sample (biopsy) so it can be tested for. Our researchers are continually striving to identify new markers in colorectal tumors that then become additional markers that we look for in our lab testing, further advancing Winship’s innovations in the diagnostics field.

Advanced imaging. At Winship, we use the latest CT (computed tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) technology to determine if a cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, liver, pancreas, lungs, spinal cord or elsewhere. It’s very important to have the right images available to accurately stage a cancer. But not all imaging centers obtain the same images, which is why Winship has developed imaging protocols to ensure we get the most insightful images.

Endoscopic ultrasound. Knowing exactly where a tumor is helps oncologists determine the proper course of treatment, particularly when it comes to rectal cancers. Tumor location is an important factor when it comes to deciding what type of surgery is advisable and can mean the difference of needing a permanent ostomy bag or a temporary one. When staging rectal cancers, Winship gastroenterologists and surgeons will perform an endoscopic ultrasound to get a better look at the location of a rectal tumor. The procedure, which is similar to colonoscopy in terms of patient experience, is performed under sedation.

Genomic profiling. If your tumor is determined to be cancerous, we’ll conduct genomic profiling to look at the DNA inside the tumor to identify any genetic mutations and biomarkers, or cell characteristics. Winship genomic and tumor sequencing experts will analyze what’s driving your particular colorectal cancer and then work with your colorectal oncologists to determine which types of treatment are most likely to work best against your specific cancer.