COLORECTAL SURGERY Living longer, living better after a colorectal cancer diagnosis

An estimated 150,000 U.S. adults will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year. Excluding skin cancer, it is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women each year in the United States.

Now for the good news. The 5-year survival rate for colorectal cancer has more than doubled since 1970, climbing to 65%, due to medical advances and early screening. For people with localized colorectal cancer (stage 1) the survival rate is 91%.

“Colorectal cancer is both preventable and highly treatable when we catch it early,” says Steven Wexner, MD, PhD, Director of the Ellen Leifer Shulman and Steven Shulman Digestive Disease Center at Cleveland Clinic Florida in Weston. “Patients can live long, quality lives after a colorectal cancer diagnosis thanks to treatment advancements.”

Advanced surgical care

Treatment options for colon and rectal cancers vary depending upon a person’s health, age and cancer stage. While surgery is the most common treatment, chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be needed as well. The type of surgery performed will depend on the extent of the cancer and where it’s located.

Some patients will require the removal of part or all of the colon (colectomy) or rectum (rectal resection). Others may require the removal of both. These procedures can be done during open surgery, through one large incision, or using minimally invasive techniques, which include laparoscopy, robotic, and transanal endoscopic surgery through a few small incisions.

“Patients benefit from minimally invasive surgery in many ways, including less pain and scarring, a shorter hospital stay, and quicker recovery,” explains Dr. Wexner, who led the Cleveland Clinic Florida team that pioneered this approach. “Most importantly, we can perform these less invasive procedures while still minimizing the risk for cancer recurrence.”

TALK WITH AN EXPERT.

Howard Berg, MD Colorectal Services

Preserving quality of life

Advancements in surgical care have made it possible for many patients to achieve normal bowel habits and bowel continence after colorectal surgery. Fewer patients today require a permanent colostomy, in which stool is diverted from the lower part of the digestive tract by connecting the end of the colon to an opening in the belly. Thanks to newer surgical techniques developed and/or refined at Cleveland Clinic Florida, it is more common for patients to need only a temporary ileostomy to let the body rest and heal, rather than a permanent colostomy.

“Preserving and improving the quality of life are always our top priorities, and the work being done by my colleagues in Florida, Ohio, London and Abu Dhabi attest to these priorities,” says Dr. Wexner. “For patients with colorectal cancer, that means eliminating their cancer while helping them preserve bowel continence whenever possible.”

Cleveland Clinic Florida is home to South Florida’s only Gastroenterology and GI Surgery program ranked nationally by U.S. News World Report’s “Best Hospitals” rankings (2022-23). Identified as “high performing” in colon cancer surgery by the magazine, the team offers a full range of advanced treatment options for colon and rectal cancers. The Maroone Cancer Center at Cleveland Clinic Florida is an ACS Commission on Cancer® Accredited Program and Cleveland Clinic Florida in Weston was the first in Florida and second in the nation to earn accreditation from the ACS National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer.

Howard Berg, MD, sees patients in Wellington, Coral Springs and West Palm Beach. To schedule a consultation with D r. Berg or another Cleveland Clinic Florida colorectal specialist, call at 877.384.4944 or visit ClevelandClinicFlorida.org/Colorectal to learn more.

wellington | social scene PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN

ROTARY CLUB HOSTS THOMAS M. WENHAM MEMORIAL GOLF CLASSIC

The Rotary Club of Wellington held the inaugural Thomas M. Wenham Memorial Golf Classic on Thursday, March 9 at the Wanderers Club. The event, newly named in memory of former Wellington Mayor Tom Wenham, supported Wellington Rotary Club projects and the Wellington Community Foundation. The day included lunch, on course games, a live auction, a ticket auction and a dinner awards ceremony.

wellington

‘A DAY FOR AUTISM’ EVENT HELD AT VILLAGE PARK IN WELLINGTON

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, the Village of Wellington and the FAU Center for Autism and Related Disabilities came together on Sunday, Feb. 26 for “A Day for Autism: Building Bridges with Law Enforcement Picnic” at Village Park in Wellington. With activities such as face painting, lawn games, bounce houses, a petting zoo, crafts, Kona Ice, a DJ and more, there were fun activities for the entire family. Additionally, there were plenty of opportunities for the community to interact with PBSO and Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue representatives.