Colorectal Unit

The Cambridge Colorectal Unit is part of the Department of General Surgery at Addenbrooke's.

The Cambridge Colorectal Unit aims to provide a comprehensive specialist service to care for patients with all colorectal (lower bowel) disorders. Patients will be guided by a dedicated team of doctors, nurses and allied professionals through their encounter with the Unit from their first clinic visit, to surgery (if required) and then follow-up.

Conditions treated by the team include: anal fissures, anal fistulas, bowel polyps, bowel prolapse, bowel cancer (cancer of the colon and rectum), diverticular disease, haemorrhoids (piles), incontinence, inflammatory bowel disease (colitis and Crohn's), minor anal conditions: skin tags, fibroepithelial polyps, external haemorrhoids, warts, pilonidal sinus and pruritus ani (anal itchiness).

Many patients can be diagnosed and treated in the clinic. For example, most patients with haemorrhoids are suitable for outpatient treatment. Other patients will require investigations, and we have access to the full range of specialist investigations for colorectal diseases.

The majority of patients are referred by their general practitioner (GP), and are initially seen in the outpatient clinic. Others will be referred by hospital consultants, or are admitted through the Emergency Department

Related Page: Emergency Department

Patients with suspected colorectal cancer will be seen in clinic within two weeks, and any urgent investigations can be performed as required. When the diagnosis of cancer is made, treatment for each patient is discussed by a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, pathologists, radiologists and oncologists to ensure that the best package of care can be offered on an individual basis.

In this section: FAQs about bowel cancer (cancer of the colon and/or rectum)

After cancer surgery:

After cancer surgery, follow-up is co-ordinated by our specialist nursing staff, who counsel patients and arrange investigations and clinic visits. The staff are available at the end of the telephone to any patient who has a concern about their condition.

We welcome donations to our Unit both to aid our research and purchase equipment. Any gift, however small, will be a valuable contribution to our fund. Please make donations payable to the Colorectal Research Account and send them to Mr Richard Miller, Box 201, Addenbrooke's NHS Trust, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ.