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Colorectal Cancer: Symptoms, Signs, Screening, Stages
What are the treatment options for colon cancer?...CONTINUE READING
Treatment of colon cancer usually depends on the stage of cancer.
Stage 0: Early-stage cancer is present in the intestine’s innermost layer.
Stage I: Cancer has spread to the colon’s inner layers.
Stage II: Cancer has spread through the colon’s muscle wall.
Stage III: Cancer has progressed to the lymph nodes.
Stage IV: Cancer has spread to other organs outside the colon.
Treatment options may include:
Surgery
Colonoscopy can be used to remove a tumor in stage 0 colon cancer.
More extensive surgery is required to remove the cancerous portion of the colon in stages I, II, and III cancer. This procedure is called colon resection (colectomy).
Chemotherapy
After surgery, almost all patients with stage III colon cancer receive chemotherapy for three to six months. This is referred to as adjuvant chemotherapy.
Even though the tumor has been removed, chemotherapy is administered to treat any cancer cells that may have survived.
Chemotherapy is used to treat stage IV colon cancer symptoms and extend survival.
Patients may be given a single type of medication or a combination of medications.
Radiation
Radiation therapy is sometimes used to kill colon cancer cells.
Targeted therapy
Targeted therapy focuses on specific targets (molecules) found in cancer cells. These targets influence how cancer cells grow and survive.
Using these targets, the drug disables cancer cells, preventing them from spreading. Targeted therapy can be administered orally or intravenously.
You may receive targeted therapy in addition to surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy.
For people with stage IV disease that has spread to the liver, treatment may include:
Burning cancer (ablation)
Administering chemotherapy or radiation directly into the liver
Freezing cancer (cryotherapy)
Surgery
Understanding colorectal cancer risks, increasing screening rates and making lifestyle changes can save many lives.
If you have symptoms, such as persistent abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, increasing constipation, unexplained weight loss, or a sudden change in bowel habit, consult your doctor to see if you are a candidate for a colonoscopy screening.
Early detection and removal of colon polyps before they become cancerous is the only proven method of preventing colorectal cancer.
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