Surgery

You might undergo surgery if doctors believe they can remove all of the rectal and liver tumors completely. This is optimal when you only have a few liver growths.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy might be given before or after surgery to remove the rectal and liver tumors. It can either shrink the tumors before surgery or get rid of any excess cancer cells that might remain after. If your metastases are confined to the liver, you might receive chemotherapy injections right into the liver rather than throughout the body.

Radiation Therapy

You might receive radiation therapy---possibly in conjunction with chemotherapy-- to the rectum and/or liver to shrink tumors before surgery. Doctors might also use it after surgery to kill any cells that might remain.

Inoperable Tumors with No Symptoms

If doctors cannot operate on your rectal and liver tumors--and they are not causing any symptoms--your doctor will give you chemotherapy to control growth. Common treatments include leucovorin, 5-FU, oxaliplatin, irinotecan, capecitabine, cetuximab, bevacizumab and panitumumab. Typically, you receive a combination of two or more of these agents.

Cancers Causing Symptoms

If your cancer does not respond to chemotherapy or is causing symptoms, several treatment options exist to treat symptoms and prevent complications. You might undergo surgery on the rectal and liver tumors. Inoperable liver tumors causing complications can be removed by freezing, heating and laser surgery, among others.

Source:

American Cancer Society