Dr Sumit Shah : Rectal Cancer Specialist in Pune
Clear diagnosis, honest options and a personalised treatment plan for rectal cancer at Prolife Cancer Centre, Gultekdi, Market Yard, Pune. Dr. Sumit Shah, a surgical oncologist, sees patients for assessment, staging review, treatment planning and second opinions.
What type of doctor should you see for rectal cancer?
Start with a colorectal surgeon or surgical oncologist who regularly treats rectal cancer. Treatment is usually planned with a team: a medical oncologist for chemotherapy, a radiation oncologist, a radiologist who reads the pelvic MRI, and a pathologist. Seeing this team before any treatment begins matters, because the order of radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery, and whether the anal sphincter can be saved, is decided at that stage.
Meet Dr. Sumit Shah
Dr. Sumit Shah is a Surgical Oncologist and the founder and chief consultant of Prolife Cancer Centre & Research Institute. His qualifications are DNB (General Surgery), DNB (Surgical Oncology) and a Fellowship in Laparoscopic & Robotic Surgery.
His profile lists gastrointestinal cancers, including rectal cancer, among those he treats using minimally invasive and robotic techniques whenever appropriate.
Credentials at a glance
- 22+ years of experience, per the centre's profile
- Fellow of the American College of Surgeons
- Observerships at Cleveland Clinic Florida and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (2025)
- International Faculty, Russian Society of Colorectal Surgery (2024–2026)
- Invited faculty at national IASO and ACRSI conferences
Watch: Prolife Cancer Centre
Symptoms that need evaluation
See a doctor if you notice any of these for more than two weeks. They have many causes and none confirms cancer, but they deserve examination, not guesswork.
Bleeding
Blood in or on the stool, or bleeding from the rectum.
Bowel changes
Lasting constipation, loose stools, narrower stools or more frequent urges.
Incomplete emptying
A feeling that the bowel has not emptied fully.
Whole-body signs
Unexplained weight loss, tiredness or anaemia.
Discomfort or pain
Rectal pressure, fullness, or pain when passing stool. Early cancer is often painless.
Women and men
Symptoms are the same. Mention bowel changes clearly so they are not put down to other conditions.
Hemorrhoids versus rectal cancer
Symptoms alone cannot reliably tell piles from rectal cancer, and both can cause bright red bleeding. A person can have both. Bleeding that persists, recurs, or comes with a change in bowel habits should be examined, with colonoscopy where advised.
How rectal cancer is diagnosed and staged
- Examination: digital rectal exam to judge the tumour's height
- Colonoscopy and biopsy: confirm the diagnosis
- Pelvic MRI: shows depth, sphincter relation and nodes
- CT scan: checks for distant spread
- CEA blood test: a marker used alongside other tests, never alone
- MMR/MSI testing: identifies tumours that may respond to immunotherapy
| Stage | In plain language |
|---|---|
| 0 | Abnormal cells only in the inner lining. |
| I | Grown into the rectal wall, not through it; no nodes involved. |
| II | Grown through the wall or into nearby tissue; nodes clear. |
| III | Reached nearby lymph nodes; no distant spread. |
| IV | Spread to distant organs such as liver or lungs. |
Stage is not grade: stage describes spread, grade describes how abnormal the cells look under the microscope.
Rectal cancer treatment options
Not every patient needs every treatment. Your plan depends on stage, tumour height, MRI findings, molecular results, fitness and preferences.
Local treatment
Selected very early, small tumours may be removed through the anus. Pathology decides whether more is needed.
Surgery
Total mesorectal excision removes the rectum with surrounding fat and lymph nodes. Laparoscopic or robotic approaches are chosen individually.
Radiotherapy and chemotherapy
Often given before surgery for stage II–III disease. Total neoadjuvant therapy gives both before surgery in selected patients.
Sphincter preservation and stomas
Where feasible the bowel is reconnected. A temporary stoma may protect the join; a permanent one is needed only in some cases.
Biomarker-directed care
Testing may point to immunotherapy for mismatch-repair-deficient tumours or targeted therapy in other situations.
Supportive care
Pain control, nutrition and stoma care alongside treatment, or when cure is not possible.
Can rectal cancer be treated without surgery?
Sometimes, but not for everyone. Selected patients with a complete clinical response after chemoradiotherapy or total neoadjuvant therapy may be offered "watch and wait". It needs intensive surveillance with frequent examinations, endoscopy and MRI. The tumour can regrow, and surgery may then still be needed. A complete clinical response is not a guaranteed cure.
Immunotherapy applies only to mismatch-repair-deficient (dMMR/MSI-H) tumours. Whether it suits you, and whether it is available, is discussed after testing.
Recovery and life after surgery
Recovery varies with the operation, any radiotherapy or chemotherapy, a stoma, age and fitness. Your surgeon will give a timeline for your own case.
- Bowel changes: urgency or frequent stools (low anterior resection syndrome) are common and often improve with time and treatment
- Stoma support: you should be taught stoma care before leaving hospital
- Nutrition and strength: small frequent meals, protein, hydration, gradual walking
- Urinary and sexual function: raise concerns before surgery and during follow-up; help is available
- Follow-up: regular examinations, tests and scans for several years
How to choose a specialist or hospital
"Best", "top" and "good reviews" can't be reduced to one number. Check for:
- Regular experience treating rectal cancer
- Multidisciplinary planning before treatment
- Pelvic MRI staging and a full range of options
- Clear talk of benefits, risks and bowel, urinary and sexual effects
- Stoma and rehabilitation support
- A written, itemised estimate
- Patient feedback you can verify independently
Comparing hospitals across Maharashtra? No reliable ranking exists. Apply the same checklist to every centre.
Costs and affordability
Total cost depends on investigations and staging, the treatment sequence, surgical approach and complexity, hospital stay, medicines and radiotherapy, stoma supplies, and rehabilitation and follow-up. A fair estimate needs your stage and plan.
Second opinion
A second opinion can confirm a diagnosis or review a plan. Bring what you have:
- Biopsy and pathology reports, including any MMR/MSI result
- Colonoscopy report
- MRI and CT reports and images
- Previous treatment records
- List of current medicines
Common questions
Is rectal cancer 100% curable?
No. Honest treatment teams don't promise 100%. Many rectal cancers are treated with curative intent and many people are cured, particularly when found before distant spread, but cancer can return. Follow-up exists to detect any recurrence early.
What is the best hospital for rectal cancer treatment?
No single hospital is best for every patient, and no reliable national ranking exists. Look for a multidisciplinary team, pelvic MRI staging, rectal surgery experience, clear discussion of risks, stoma support, an itemised estimate and verifiable patient feedback.
What is the survival rate for rectal cancer?
In US data from the American Cancer Society (diagnoses 2014–2020), five-year relative survival was 90% for localised, 74% for regional and 18% for distant disease, and 67% for all stages combined. These are US figures from past patients and cannot predict one person's outcome.
What is the survival rate for stage 3 rectal cancer?
There is no single reliable figure for stage III. US SEER data use "regional" spread, which is broader. For rectal cancer, regional five-year relative survival was 74%. Your own outlook depends on many individual factors.
How long does recovery from rectal cancer surgery take?
It varies widely. Hospital stay is usually measured in days and return to routine activity in weeks, but bowel function can take months to settle, especially after sphincter-saving surgery.
Will I need a permanent stoma?
Not necessarily. Many people keep their anus after sphincter-preserving surgery, sometimes with a temporary stoma while the join heals. A permanent stoma may be needed when the tumour is very low or involves the sphincter.
What is the latest treatment for rectal cancer?
Established advances include total neoadjuvant therapy, watch and wait for selected responders, and minimally invasive surgery. Immunotherapy for dMMR/MSI-H tumours is the newest development; its suitability and availability in India need to be confirmed for each patient.
What does rectal cancer pain feel like?
Early rectal cancer is often painless. When present, pain may feel like pressure or fullness, discomfort when passing stool, or a deep pelvic ache. Bleeding or bowel changes should be examined whether or not they hurt.
Visit Prolife Cancer Centre in Market Yard, Pune
Address
S.No. 557/A/A/15C, Hissa No. 17/1, Final Plot No. 158/1, Gultekdi, Market Yard, Pune – 411037
24-hour helpline
+91-9607079019 · +91-9607079029
Landline: 020-26458161
Whether you have a new diagnosis, a report you don't understand, or symptoms you have put off checking, an early conversation helps. Treatment is always planned after an individual assessment.