Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) Practice Exam

A colectomy is a procedure which is performed on which organ?

1. Stomach

2. Colon

3. Liver

4. Intestine

The correct answer is: Colon

A colectomy is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of all or part of the colon, which is part of the large intestine. The name itself provides a clear indication of the organ involved: "colectomy" comes from "colo" referring to the colon and "ectomy" meaning removal. This procedure is often performed to treat various conditions such as colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, or diverticulitis. Understanding the specific anatomy and terminology is crucial in the field of tumor registrars, as accurate records of surgeries and their associated diagnoses are essential for patient care and data integrity within cancer registries. While the other organs listed—stomach, liver, and intestine—are all important components of the gastrointestinal system, they are not involved in a colectomy specifically. The stomach is involved in digestion but is not part of the large intestine. The liver has roles in metabolism and detoxification but is not removed in a colectomy. The intestine is a broader term that includes both the small and large intestines, but the precise procedure clarified here is focused on the colon. Thus, the correct answer underscores the importance of precise medical terminology in understanding surgical procedures related to cancer treatment.