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Rectal Organ Preservation Programme

A diagnosis of rectal cancer doesn’t always mean losing your rectum or living with a permanent stoma. At ARC, we believe that whenever it is medically safe, preserving your body’s natural function should be an integral part of cancer treatment.

Using internationally recognised treatment protocols and a dedicated multidisciplinary approach, we explore every opportunity to treat your cancer while protecting continence, bowel function and quality of life.

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Meet our Experts

Our Philosophy

Every rectal cancer and patient is unique. Before suggesting surgery, our multidisciplinary tumor board assesses if organ preservation strategies can be applied. Modern treatments can often shrink or even eliminate the tumour before surgery, allowing for the preservation of the rectum and anal sphincter, thus avoiding a permanent stoma. Our goal is clear: achieve the best cancer outcome while maintaining normal function whenever safely possible.

How we preserve

Evidence-based treatment tailored to you

Every patient is assessed using internationally accepted clinical guidelines, including those recommended by ESMO and NCCN. Treatment is personalised according to tumour stage, location and response.

Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy (NACRT)

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are delivered before surgery to shrink the tumour, improve surgical precision and increase the possibility of preserving the rectum.

Total Neoadjuvant

Therapy (TNT)

For selected patients, chemotherapy and radiation are completed before surgery to maximisetumour response and improve the likelihood of organ preservation.

Watch-and-Wait

If clinical assessment shows a complete response after treatment, some patients may safely avoid surgery altogether and instead undergo structured surveillance with regular MRI scans, endoscopy and clinical examinations.

Sphincter-Preserving Surgery

When surgery is necessary, our surgeons use advanced techniques designed to remove the cancer while preserving the anal sphincter whenever oncologically appropriate, helping patients avoid a permanent stoma.

Patient Journey

Your Treatment
Journey

Every patient follows a structured pathway guided by our multidisciplinary tumour board. From diagnosis to long-term follow-up, each step is designed to achieve the best cancer outcome while preserving your quality of life whenever medically appropriate.

Multidisciplinary Tumour Board

Your case is reviewed by colorectal surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists and pathologists to develop the most appropriate treatment strategy.

Re-assessment

Following treatment, repeat imaging and clinical evaluation determine how your tumour has responded.

Comprehensive Assessment

MRI, colonoscopy, imaging and clinical evaluation help us understand your cancer in detail.

Personalised Treatment

Depending on your diagnosis, treatment may include NACRT, TNT or other evidence-based therapies before surgery.

Choosing the Best Path Forward

If the tumour has fully responded, you might qualify for Watch-and-Wait. If surgery is still needed, we strive to maintain bowel function with sphincter-saving techniques when possible.

Then the path forks:

If the cancer has cleared completely → Watch-and-Wait. Eligible patients avoid surgery altogether and enter structured surveillance — regular CT+MRI, Endoscopy and Clinical examination as per protocol.

If surgery is still needed → Sphincter-saving surgery. Wherever oncologically safe, we use techniques designed to remove the cancer while preserving your continence and avoiding a permanent stoma.

Confidence starts with clarity.

At ARC, our colorectal cancer team can assess your case for options like organ preservation, sphincter-saving surgery, or robotic surgery.

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