Perioperative management of the oncologic patient undergoing gastrointestinal surgery

Although the incidence of colon cancer has reduced over the past four decades due to the use of effective early detection colon cancer screening systems, colorectal cancer continues to be the third most diagnosed cancer in the United States (Hall and Ruutiainen, Sur Oncol Clin N Am 27:289-302, 2018). If colorectal cancer is limited to the colon or rectum only, colon resection or lower abdominal peritoneal resection surgery leads a high success rate of curing cancer. However, if metastasis occurs to other pelvic organs, then a pelvic exenteration surgery is the most opted route to remove the cancer. The following section will provide a brief overview of the background and management of patients undergoing three major gastrointestinal (GI) surgeries, specifically pelvic exenteration, colon resection, and lower abdominal peritoneal resection.