Objective To explore the effect of case management based on symptom management theory for colorectal cancer patients. Methods The quasi-experiment study enrolled a convenient sample of 100 patients, who were divided into a control group （n=50） and an intervention group （n=50） by the admission time.The control group received routine perioperative nursing care and follow-ups, while the intervention group was subjected to case management based on symptom management theory. Results Pre-operative wait time, days of hospital stay, and 1-month readmission rate after operation in the intervention group were significantly shorter and lower than the controls （P＜0.05,P＜0.01）.The functional domain and overall health scores of quality of life measured one month after surgery in the intervention group were significantly higher than the controls, while pain and fatigue scores from the symptoms domain, and scores of 4 singular items were significantly lower in the intervention group than in the controls （P＜0.05,P＜0.01）. Conclusion Case management based on symptom management theory can effectively manage the symptoms of colorectal cancer patients at all stages, shorten the pre-operative wait time and days of hospital stay, reduce 1-month readmission rate,and improve the quality of life of patients.