Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital · Vasna, Ahmedabad
Rectal cancer surgeon in Ahmedabad · Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Vasna, Ahmedabad
Last updated: 24-Oct-2026
Before any rectal cancer operation, three answers matter: how far the cancer is from the anus, what the pelvic MRI shows, and whether the sphincter can be kept.
Rectal cancer sits deep in a narrow pelvis, beside the bladder, the sexual nerves and the muscles that hold stool. That is why the plan matters as much as the hands that carry it out. This page is for a patient or family comparing options. It lists what a careful plan contains, and how Dr Harsh Shah works at each step, so that you can hold any proposal up against it. The main page on rectal cancer treatment gives the wider picture. Each operation has its own page, linked below.
Dr Harsh Shah is a surgical gastroenterologist with two higher degrees in that field. He has 18 years of experience in GI and cancer surgery.
Dr Harsh Shah. He trained at Maulana Azad Medical College and GB Pant Hospital in Delhi. His work is cancer and major surgery of the food pipe, stomach, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and bowel. He operates by the open and 3D HD laparoscopic routes. You see the same surgeon from the first visit to the last follow-up.
Dr Harsh Shah
MS, MCh (Surgical Gastroenterology), DrNB (Surgical Gastroenterology)
Registered with Gujarat Medical Council, Reg. No. G-38738
Gastro, Cancer & Laparoscopic Surgeon · Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Vasna, Ahmedabad
Google rating 4.94 from 18 reviews at Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Vasna, Ahmedabad.
Rectal cancer surgery is a core part of his work. He sees patients at Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Vasna in Ahmedabad and operates at Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Vasna, Ahmedabad. What you can check, before you decide, is his method. The rest of this page sets it out.
The operation depends on how far the cancer sits from the anus and how deep it has grown. Each one below has its own page with the detail.
| Operation | When it is usually chosen |
|---|---|
| Anterior resection with total mesorectal excision. | A cancer in the upper or middle rectum, where the bowel can be joined back. |
| Low anterior resection with a temporary ileostomy. | A cancer low in the rectum, where the join needs time to heal. |
| Intersphincteric resection. | A very low cancer that has not grown into the outer sphincter muscle. |
| Abdominoperineal resection with a permanent stoma. | A cancer that has grown into the sphincter, or where bowel control would be lost. |
| Local excision. | A very early, small cancer with favourable features on the report. |
Whether the sphincter can be kept depends on the height of the cancer and the MRI, not on the surgeon’s wish. The pages on tumour height, the temporary ileostomy and intersphincteric resection explain each choice.
These six marks apply to any surgeon and any hospital. Use them to check the plan you have been given, here or elsewhere.
| Mark | Question to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| A firm diagnosis. | Was the whole colon seen, and was the cancer biopsied? | A second growth in the colon changes the plan. |
| An MRI of the pelvis. | Has the MRI shown how close the cancer is to the muscle wall? | The MRI decides the order of treatment and how much to remove. |
| A tumour board. | Has a team seen my case? | A surgeon, an oncologist, a radiotherapist and a radiologist see more together. |
| The right order. | Will I have radiotherapy or chemotherapy first? | For many rectal cancers, treatment before the operation is the standard. |
| A clean operation. | Will the whole mesorectum come out with clear margins? | This lowers the chance of the cancer coming back in the pelvis. |
| A plan for after. | Who follows me up, and how often? | Bowel function and early signs of a return both need watching. |
Treatment starts only when the biopsy has confirmed cancer and the MRI has mapped it. A doubtful report is repeated within days.
The colonoscopy report should say how far the cancer is from the anal edge. A finger examination and a short scope check the same thing. The whole colon must be seen, because a second growth is not rare. A biopsy confirms the type. Blood tests include a marker called CEA, and a CT scan of the chest and abdomen looks for spread. The most important test is an MRI of the pelvis. It shows how deep the cancer has grown, whether nodes look involved, and how close it lies to the wall of the pelvis. That distance is called the circumferential margin.
The MRI also shows where the cancer sits in relation to the sphincter muscles. That one picture decides most of the plan. A person who has been booked for an operation without an MRI of the pelvis should ask why.
No plan to remove a rectal cancer is made by one doctor alone. Every case that has not spread widely goes to the tumour board first.
The board also sees cases where the cancer has spread to the liver or lungs, where nodes at the side of the pelvis look involved, and where the cancer has grown into a nearby organ. The page on the operative plan and the questions that change it explains these cases in detail.
For a cancer that is deep or has reached the nodes, radiotherapy and chemotherapy usually come first. The operation follows some weeks after they end.
A short course of radiotherapy, or radiotherapy with chemotherapy over several weeks, shrinks the cancer and lowers the risk of a return in the pelvis. Some centres give all the chemotherapy before the operation. The MRI and the board decide which plan fits you. Very early cancers may need only the operation. After radiotherapy, the pelvis needs time to settle, so the operation is planned some weeks later. A repeat MRI is done to see the response. The aim is a plan that matches your cancer, not one plan for all.
A complete operation removes the rectum and the fat around it in one piece, with clear margins and the lymph nodes. Healthy nerves are spared.
The final report from the pathologist shows whether these standards were met. Dr Harsh Shah explains that report to you in person, about two weeks after the operation. It tells the team whether more treatment is needed.
A temporary ileostomy is a safety step, not a failure. It is usually closed after a few months, once the join has healed and any chemotherapy is done.
Diet, fibre, medicines and pelvic floor exercises all help. The page on bowel control after lower rectal cancer surgery explains what to expect and what to do.
The weeks before the operation are used to make you stronger. Walking, breathing exercises, good food and stopping smoking all lower the risks.
Rectal cancer surgery is a major operation with real risks, including a leak from the join. Your own risks are discussed at consent, in person.
A fast pulse, fever, new belly pain or a change in the drain fluid after surgery is treated as a leak until proven otherwise. The consultant surgeon is told at once, and a scan is done the same day.
Most patients sit out of bed on the day of surgery and move from liquids to soft food over a few days. Follow-up continues for five years.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Day of the operation. | Sitting out of bed, small sips of water, and pain relief with little morphine. |
| The next few days. | Liquids, then soft food. Walking several times a day. Stoma teaching. |
| Going home. | No fever, food kept down, walking alone, pain controlled on tablets and the stoma bag managed. |
| Two weeks after. | The final report is explained. Further treatment is planned if needed. |
| First two years. | A check every three to six months, with CEA blood tests and scans on schedule. |
| Up to five years. | A colonoscopy at one year, then as advised. Checks continue every six months, then yearly. |
The same surgeon sees you at each visit, so a change in bowel habit or a rising CEA is looked at early.
A second opinion is most useful before the operation. Take one if a key step is missing, or if you are unsure of the plan.
| What you notice | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| An operation is booked with no MRI of the pelvis. | The MRI decides the order of treatment and the extent of surgery. |
| A permanent stoma is advised, with no talk of other options. | Many low cancers can keep the sphincter, if the MRI allows it. |
| Surgery first, with no talk of radiotherapy or chemotherapy. | For many rectal cancers, treatment comes before the operation. |
| No tumour board has seen your case. | Every plan to remove the cancer should be seen by one. |
| You are told nothing can be done. | Treatment that helps may still be possible. |
A second opinion that agrees with your plan is not wasted. You start treatment with no question left open. Bring every report, the MRI and CT on a disc, the biopsy slides if you can get them, and a list of your medicines.
★★★★★
“We consulted Dr. Harsh Shah for rectal cancer treatment and had a very good experience. He is a very experienced and knowledgeable doctor who explained the treatment process clearly and guided us at every step. His supportive nature and professional approach gave us confidence throughout the treatment. We are grateful for his dedication and the care provided by him and his team. Highly recommended for rectal cancer treatment in Ahmedabad.”
— Mamta Somar, Google review
★★★★★
“I done my stoma closer operation with harsh sir such a nice and kind person never doing miss guide always give right advice polite nature.”
— Jigar Jadav, Google review
Reviews are reproduced exactly as written on Google. The first two speak about rectal cancer care by Dr Harsh Shah. The third speaks about stoma closure under his care.
The cost depends on the tests, the treatment before surgery, the operation and the days in hospital. A written estimate is given before admission.
Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Vasna, Ahmedabad, works with the major insurers and offers cashless admission. The insurance desk handles pre-authorisation. On admission, bring all scans on a disc, all reports, your medicines with doses, the insurance card and an identity proof. For questions before booking, call +91-63555-64601.
Yes. He examines you, explains the plan and performs the operation himself at Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Vasna, Ahmedabad. He also sees you at every follow-up visit.
Check six things. A firm diagnosis, an MRI of the pelvis, a tumour board, the right order of treatment, a clean operation with clear margins, and a follow-up plan.
Not always. Whether the sphincter can be kept depends on the height of the cancer and the MRI. A temporary ileostomy is common after a low join and is usually closed later.
No route is right for every case. Some cases are better done open.
Yes. Bring every report, the MRI and CT on a disc, the biopsy slides if possible and your medicine list. Reports can be sent on WhatsApp before the visit.
Consultations are at Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Vasna in Ahmedabad. Operations are at Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Vasna, Ahmedabad.
Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Vasna, Ahmedabad
Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Dr Jivraj Mehta Marg, Vasna, Ahmedabad 380007.
Operations, endoscopic procedures and hospital stay.
Google: Dr Harsh Shah · 4.94 · 18 reviews
Directions to Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Vasna · WhatsApp +91-63555-64601
Families come to Ahmedabad from across Gujarat, including Gandhinagar, Mehsana, Banaskantha, Nadiad, Anand, Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Kutch, and from southern Rajasthan and western Madhya Pradesh.
Holding a rectal cancer report and a decision to make? Send the colonoscopy and biopsy reports, the pelvic MRI, the CT and blood tests before you come. Dr Shah reads them first, so the visit is spent on your questions. The plan is made at the consultation, after examination. Call +91-63555-64601 · Send the reports on WhatsApp
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