Treatment For Colon Cancer – Colon cancer is a malignant tumor in the colon. The most common symptom of colon cancer is bloody bowel movements. The disease often starts from benign tumors called polyps. Read also: How To Prevent Polyps
Until now, the cause of colon cancer has not been clearly known. But there are some things that are thought to increase a person’s risk of developing colon cancer, including not eating fiber, rarely exercising, and smo**king.
Colon cancer often does not cause symptoms at the beginning. However, if you often experience symptoms of indigestion, such as diarrhea or constipation, and have a family suffering from colon cancer, it is recommended to consult a doctor. The earlier it is detected, the greater the chances of colon cancer being cured.
Treatment For Colon Cancer
The treatment will depend on the severity of the cancer, according to the stage experienced. Some types of treatment that can be taken, among others:
Surgery
This surgery is performed to remove the cancerous tissue that is in the colon. The surgery will depend on the severity of the sufferer and how severe the cancer has spread.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is done by using radiation rays to kill cancer cells. This light will be emitted through a device installed close to the cancer site.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is done by administering drugs in several cycles that have been scheduled by doctors to kill cancer cells.
Drug Therapy
This drug therapy works by killing cancer cells specifically. The drug administered will be as scheduled with the doctor.
Patients who have colon cancer and are diagnosed with an early stage have a higher cure rate.
Treatment of colon cancer according to stage
In most cases this can be done by removing the polyps or taking the area with cancer through the colonoscope (local excision). Partial colectomy may be required if a tumor is too large to be removed by local excision.
Treatment For Colon Cancer Stage 1
When colon cancer has reached stage I, the cancers have grown deeper in the lining of the colon walls, but they have not spread outside the colon walls itself or into nearby lymph nodes.
Stage I includes cancer that is part of polyps. If the polyps are removed completely during colonoscopy, without cancer cells at the edges (margins) of the pieces being removed, no other treatment may be required.
People with stage I colon cancer may also be advised to undergo more surgery. This is because polyps cannot be removed completely or if they have to be removed in many parts, making it difficult to see if cancer cells are on edge.
Treatment For Colon Cancer Stage 2
Surgery to remove the cancer-containing part of the colon (partial colectomy) along with nearby lymph nodes may be the only treatment required.
Doctors can recommend chemotherapy after surgery. If the cancer has a higher risk of returning (recurring) due to certain factors. If chemo is used, the main options include 5-FU and leucovorin, oxaliplatin, or capecitabine, but other combinations can also be recommended.
Treatment For Colon Cancer Stage 3
What to do when colon cancer has reached stage III?
Surgery to remove part of the colon cancer (partial colectomy) along with nearby lymph nodes, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy is the standard treatment for this stage.
For chemo, both FOLFOX (5-FU, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin) regimen and CapeOx (capecitabine and oxaliplatin) are most commonly used, but some patients may get 5-FU with leucovorin or capecitabine alone based on their age and health needs.
Radiation therapy or chemotherapy can also be an alternative for people who are not healthy enough to have surgery.
Treatment For Colon Cancer Stage 4
The condition of stage IV colon cancer has spread from the colon to distant organs and tissues.
Colon cancer most often spreads to the liver, but it can also spread to other places such as the lungs, brain, peritoneum (membranes of the abdominal cavity), or to distant lymph nodes.
In most cases, surgery is unlikely to cure this cancer. However, if there are only a few small areas of cancer spread (metastasis) in the liver or lungs and they can be removed along with colon cancer, surgery can help live longer.
