Colon and Rectal Surgery is the division of medicine concerned with surgery performed on the intestinal tract, rectum, anus and peri-anal areas. Colon surgery is recommended to remove tumors, large or hard to reach polyps, or diverticula that are causing severe symptoms. In some cases, surgery is necessary to determine whether a growth is cancerous. The surgical procedure recommended depends upon the extent of tumor involvement and the location of the cancer. For example, some rectal cancers are very small and limited to the surface of the rectal lining. Other cancers have grown through the entire rectal wall and are adherent (stuck) to nearby structures and organs, such as the abdominal or pelvic wall, the sacrum, the bladder, or the prostate gland.