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Management of individuals with colorectal cancer in an emergency setting

Project reference number: 0086

Principal investigator: Paul Finan 

Plain language summary: Emergency surgery refers to surgery that is immediate and unplanned. This is different to elective surgery, which is surgery that is planned in advance. Emergency surgery for bowel cancer is linked to a higher chance of patients having worse outcomes, an increase in complications both during and after surgery and an increase in the chance of a patient’s cancer coming back (known as cancer recurrence). 

The most common reasons for a patient needing emergency surgery for bowel cancer are bowel obstruction, bleeding and perforation of the bowel. The way patients who need emergency surgery are managed and treated is different to patients who have elective surgery. 

There are a number of treatments that are offered for patients needing emergency surgery. These include immediate surgery, which removes the tumours, and temporary treatments are used in advance of emergency surgery to allow time for a patient to be well enough to have surgery. The recommendations for the best treatment vary depending on where the tumour is located. 

The specialisation of the surgeon who manages a patient’s care is also known to have a big impact on the outcomes of a patient following surgery for bowel cancer. However, no work has yet been done to look at how the specialisation of the surgeon affects what type of surgical procedure is used. 

This study will look at how the management and treatment of patients who have emergency surgery vary and investigate how this affects the outcomes for patients.