Bowel cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death in the UK. For many years, treatment of this condition was largely unchanged and involved radical surgery, using long midline incisions and typically requiring a lengthy stay in hospital. In the last few years, there has been a quiet revolution in how patients undergoing surgery for this condition are managed. In this article, we provide an overview on how the introduction of laparoscopic surgery allied with enhanced recovery programmes has resulted in less post-operative pain, earlier return to normal activity and earlier discharge from hospital. We also discuss the increasing role of community health care professionals, and GPs in particular, in supporting these patients both before and after their time in hospital.
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