A cancer specialist, or oncologist, will usually recommend chemotherapy to treat colon cancer if it spreads. The medicines travel through the whole body, and the treatment will take place in cycles, so the body has time to heal between doses.
Combination therapies often use multiple types of chemotherapy or combine chemotherapy with other treatments. Radiation therapy kills cancer cells by focusing high energy gamma rays on them. A cancer care team may use external radiation therapy, which expels these rays from a machine outside of the body.
With internal radiation, a doctor will implant radioactive materials near the site of the cancer in the form of a seed. Some metals, such as radium, emit gamma rays. The radiation may also come from high energy X-rays. A doctor may request radiation therapy as a standalone treatment to shrink a tumor or to destroy cancer cells.
It can also be effective alongside other cancer treatments. For colon cancer, cancer care teams tend not to administer radiation treatments until the later stages. They may use them if early stage rectal cancer has penetrated the wall of the rectum or traveled to nearby lymph nodes. A physician will carry out a complete physical examination and ask about personal and family medical histories.
They may also use the following diagnostic techniques to identify and stage cancer:. A doctor will insert a long, flexible tube with a camera on one end into the rectum to inspect the inside of the colon. The colon will also require cleansing with strong laxatives in a process known as bowel prep.
If the doctor finds polyps in the colon, a surgeon will remove the polyps and refer them for biopsy. In a biopsy, a pathologist examines the polyps under a microscope to look for cancerous or precancerous cells. A similar procedure, called a flexible sigmoidoscopy, allows a doctor to examine a smaller portion of the colorectal area. This method involves less preparation. Also, a full colonoscopy may not be necessary if a sigmoidoscopy does not reveal polyps, or if they are located within a small area.
This X-ray procedure uses a liquid called barium to provide clearer images of the colon than a standard X-ray. A person must fast for several hours before undergoing a barium X-ray. A doctor will inject a liquid solution containing the element barium into the colon through the rectum. They follow this with a brief pumping of air to smooth over the barium layer to provide the most accurate results.
A radiologist will then conduct the X-ray of the colon and rectum. The barium appears white on the X-ray, and any tumors and polyps will appear as dark outlines. If a biopsy suggests the presence of colon cancer, the doctor may order a chest X-ray, an ultrasound , or a CT scan of the lungs, liver, and abdomen to assess the spread of the cancer. Following diagnosis, a doctor will determine the stage of the cancer based on the size and extent of the tumor, as well as the spread to nearby lymph nodes and distant organs.
People should also consider limiting their alcohol consumption and quitting smoking. Symptoms may not appear until the cancer has progressed. For this reason, the American College of Physicians recommend screening for people aged 50—75 years, including:. Consult a doctor for recommendations. Usually, cells follow an orderly process of growth, division, and death. However, cancer develops when cells grow and divide uncontrollably, and when they do not die at the normal point in their life cycle.
Most cases of colon cancer originate from noncancerous tumors called adenomatous polyps. These form on the inner walls of the large intestine.
Cancerous cells may spread from malignant tumors to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. Screening tests can find polyps so they can be removed before turning into cancer. Screening also helps find colorectal cancer at an early stage, when treatment works best.
Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Colorectal Colon Cancer. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. What Is Colorectal Cancer? If you want to prevent colon cancer, you'll also want to avoid processed and charred red meats, and smoking, and excess calories, and alcohol.
In the United States, colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of deaths due to cancer. Early diagnosis can often lead to a complete cure. Almost all colon cancers start in the lining of the colon and rectum. When doctors talk about colorectal cancer, this is usually what they are talking about. There is no single cause of colon cancer. Nearly all colon cancers begin as noncancerous benign polyps, which slowly develop into cancer.
Some inherited diseases also increase the risk of developing colon cancer. One of the most common is called the Lynch syndrome. What you eat may play a role in getting colon cancer. Colon cancer may be linked to a high-fat, low-fiber diet and to a high intake of red meat.
Some studies have found that the risk does not drop if you switch to a high-fiber diet, so this link is not yet clear. Many cases of colon cancer have no symptoms. If there are symptoms, the following may indicate colon cancer:. Through screening tests, colon cancer can be detected before symptoms develop. This is when the cancer is most curable.
Your doctor will perform a physical exam and press on your belly area. The physical exam rarely shows any problems, although the doctor may feel a lump mass in the abdomen. A rectal exam may reveal a mass in people with rectal cancer, but not colon cancer. A fecal occult blood test FOBT may detect small amounts of blood in the stool. This may suggest colon cancer.
A sigmoidoscopy , or more likely, a colonoscopy , will be done to evaluate the cause of blood in your stool. Only a full colonoscopy can see the entire colon. This is the best screening test for colon cancer. If you are diagnosed with colorectal cancer, more tests will be done to see if the cancer has spread. This is called staging. CT or MRI scans of the abdomen, pelvic area, or chest may be used to stage the cancer.
Sometimes, PET scans are also used. Blood tests to detect tumor markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen CEA may help the doctor follow you during and after treatment. Stage 0 colon cancer may be treated by removing the tumor using colonoscopy. This surgery is called colon resection colectomy. Almost all people with stage III colon cancer receive chemotherapy after surgery for 3 to 6 months.
This is called adjuvant chemotherapy. Even though the tumor was removed, chemotherapy is given to treat any cancer cells that may remain. Chemotherapy is also used to improve symptoms and prolong survival in people with stage IV colon cancer.
For people with stage IV disease that has spread to the liver, treatment directed at the liver can be used. This may include:. You can ease the stress of illness by joining a colon cancer support group. Sharing with others who have common experiences and problems can help you not feel alone. How well you do depends on many things, especially the stage of the cancer. When treated at an early stage, many people survive at least 5 years after diagnosis.
This is called the 5-year survival rate. If the colon cancer does not come back recur within 5 years, it is considered cured. In most cases, stage IV cancer is not considered curable, although there are exceptions. Colon cancer can almost always be caught by colonoscopy in its earliest and most curable stages. All adults age 45 and older should have a colon cancer screening. How often you should have screening depends upon the test being used.
Colon cancer screening can often find polyps before they become cancerous. Removing these polyps may prevent colon cancer. People with certain risk factors for colon cancer may need earlier before age 45 or more frequent testing.
Changing your diet and lifestyle is important.
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