Your health care team

Your general practitioner (GP) will arrange the first tests to assess your symptoms, or further tests if you have had a positive screening test. If these tests do not rule out cancer, you will usually be referred to a specialist, such as a colorectal surgeon or a gastroenterologist. The specialist will arrange further tests. If bowel cancer is diagnosed, the specialist will consider treatment options.

Often these will be discussed with other health professionals at what is known as a multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting. During and after treatment, you may see a range of health professionals who specialise in different aspects of your care.

The different roles

The health professionals you may see include:

GP	assists with treatment decisions; provides ongoing care in partnership with specialists
colorectal surgeon	diagnoses bowel cancer and performs bowel surgery
gastroenterologist	diagnoses and treats disorders of the digestive system, including bowel cancer; may perform endoscopy
medical oncologist	treats cancer with drug therapies such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy (systemic treatment)
radiation oncologist	treats cancer by prescribing and overseeing a course of radiation therapy
cancer care coordinator	coordinates your care, liaises with MDT members, and supports you and your family throughout treatment; may be a clinical nurse consultant (CNC) or colorectal cancer nurse
operating room staff	include anaesthetists, technicians and nurses who prepare you for surgery and care for you during the operation and recovery
nurse	administers drugs and provides care, information and support throughout treatment
stomal therapy nurse	provides information about surgery and can support you to adjust to life with a temporary or permanent stoma
dietitian	recommends an eating plan to follow while you are in treatment and recovery
genetic counsellor	provides advice for people with a strong family history of bowel cancer or with a genetic condition linked to bowel cancer
social worker	links you to support services and helps you with emotional, practical or financial issues
physiotherapist, occupational therapist	assist with physical and practical problems, including restoring movement and mobility after treatment, and recommending aids and equipment
counsellor, psychologist	help you manage your emotional response to diagnosis and treatment

This information was last reviewed in February 2019. View who reviewed this content.

A/Prof Craig Lynch, Colorectal Surgeon, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Prof Tim Price, Medical Oncologist, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, and Clinical Professor, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, SA; Department of Dietetics, Liverpool Hospital, NSW; Dr Hooi Ee, Gastroenterologist, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, WA; Dr Debra Furniss, Radiation Oncologist, Genesis CancerCare, QLD; Jocelyn Head, Consumer; Jackie Johnston, Palliative Care and Stomal Therapy Clinical Nurse Consultant, St Vincent’s Private Hospital, NSW; Zeinah Keen, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council NSW; Dr Elizabeth Murphy, Head, Colorectal Surgical Unit, Lyell McEwin Hospital, SA. We also thank the health professionals, consumers and editorial teams who have worked on previous editions.

View the Cancer Council NSW editorial policy.