HealthWise KnowledgeBase
Colorectal Cancer, Metastatic or Recurrent
Cause
The exact cause of colorectal cancer is not known. Most cases begin as small growths, or polyps, inside the intestine.
If colorectal cancer is not detected and removed, it invades and destroys nearby tissues and may spread to other parts of the body. Even after treatment that seems successful, colorectal cancer may spread or come back.
Sometimes cancer cells are too small to be found by tests. These cells may continue to grow and show up later as metastatic cancer, even years after being treated.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: Reference September 5, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Reference Kenneth Bark, MD - Surgery, Colon and Rectal |
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