Colon Cancer is the type of cancer that originates in the larger intestine called Colon. It is the final and the last section of your digestive tract. Older population and adults are mainly affected by Colon Cancer, but it can occur at any age of your life. It onsets as tiny non-cancerous clumps of cells medically termed as polyps, and it starts forming in the inner walls of the colon. Overtime it converts into Colon Cancer.
As Colon Cancer develops, different treatment options are used to control it. It includes radiotherapy, surgery and drug treatments like targeted therapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The treatment option for Colon Cancer depends mainly on the extent or stage of cancer. Still, other factors are taken into consideration while deciding the best Colon Cancer treatments and medicines. Now you can buy cancer medicines using Netmeds coupon code to save great deal of money online.
Patients with 0-Stage Colon Cancer usually have no spread of cancer to distant sites, and hence surgery is performed as the main treatment. Along with surgery, Chemotherapy is conducted post-surgery for six months, which is referred to as adjuvant treatment. Here is the guide on Colon Cancer treatment options according to the stages and extent.
Stage 0 Colon Cancer Treatment Options
In Stage-0 Colon Cancer, the polyps don’t grow beyond the inner walls of the colon, and hence surgery is the main and prime treatment option to remove the cancerous cells. The surgery is performed to remove the polyp and the masses where the cancer was formed using a local excision method called colonoscopy. If the patient has a huge tumour and can’t be removed via local excision, surgery is performed to remove a part of the colon.
Stage-1 Colon Cancer Treatments Options
In Stage-1 Colon Cancer, the polyps tend to grow deeper into the colon’s inner linings, but it has not spread outside the colon lining or in the nearby lymph nodes. Surgery is performed to remove the polyp completely, and it is called colonoscopy. If the surgery is successful and the polyp is removed without cancer cells at its edges, no further treatment is needed.
If the surgeon sees any cancer cells at the edges of the removed polyps or cancer in polyp is high grade, they may perform further surgeries. A partial colectomy is performed for cancers, not in the polyp. It is the surgical procedure to remove the section of colon that has cancer.
Stage-2 Colon Cancer Treatments Options
In Stage-2 Colon Cancer, the cancerous cells grow through the inner linings of the colon and spread into the nearby tissues, but not in the lymph nodes. Surgery is performed to remove the cancerous section of the colon, along with the nearby tissues and lymph nodes.
Some of the cases may also require adjuvant chemotherapy, especially if the cancer is at higher risk of occurring again because of different factors.
- cancer seems to be abnormal when seen under a microscope
- cancer has grown to nearby lymph nodes or blood
- If the surgeon lacks in removing at least 12 lymph nodes
- Cancer cells are blocking the colon
- Cancer found in or close to edge of removed tissues
- Cancer-causing a hole in walls of the colon
Most of the surgeons usually don’t prescribe adjuvant therapy for Stage-2 Colon Cancer patients. So, it is best to discuss with doctors about its pros and cons.
Stage-3 Colon Cancer Treatments Options
Stage-3 Colon Cancer is dangerous as it tends to spread to your nearby lymph nodes, but not to any other parts of the body. Surgery is the only treatment option where a section of the colon with cancer is removed along with nearby lymph nodes. After surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy is performed as the standard treatment in Stage-3.
Different medicines are used for the adjuvant chemo based on the health needs and age of the patients. Radiation therapy is also the option for people that are not healthy and ready for the surgical procedure for Stage-3 cancer.
Stage-4 Colon Cancer Treatments Options
Stage-4 Colon Cancer is the last stage where the cancerous cells spread from the colon to other distant tissues and organs in your body. It primarily spread to the liver and gradually spread to other organs like the brain, lungs, and distant lymph nodes and in the linings of the abdominal cavity.
Surgery is not very effective in most of the cases of Stage-4 Colon Cancer. But if the cancerous cells have spread only in limited areas in the lungs and liver, surgery is performed to remove the Colon Cancer, which may help you live longer. Multiple surgeries are performed where the section of colon comprising cancer cells are removed along with nearby lymph nodes, plus other surgeries to remove the areas where cancer has spread. Along with surgery, adjuvant chemo is also prescribed before and post-surgery. In some patients, hepatic artery infusion is also prescribed, especially when cancer has spread to the liver cells.
If the cancerous cells can’t be removed with surgery because of its increased size, or there are multiple cells, then chemo is prescribed before surgery. It shrinks the size of cancer, and then surgery is performed to remove it. Post-surgery chemo is prescribed again to kill the remaining cells. If there is a tumour in the liver, surgeons may opt for other treatment options to destroy the tumour, including embolization and ablation.
If the cancer spread is larger, which can’t be removed via surgery, chemo is the only treatment prescribed in such cases. Surgery is still required if the cancer is hindering the colon from performing. This type of surgical procedure can be prevented by putting a hollow metal or plastic tube called a stent into the colon while performing colonoscopy to keep the colon open. Surgeries like diverting colostomy or colectomy are performed to remove cancer that is blocking the colon.
Patients at Stage-4 Colon Cancer are usually treated with both surgery and chemotherapy. Patients need to understand the surgery’s objective and learn whether it is performed to cure cancer or prevent it or alleviate the symptoms of cancer. Patients with Stage-4 Colon Cancer are usually prescribed with targeted therapies and chemo in combination to control cancer.
The selection of best Stage-4 Colon Cancer treatment depends greatly on different factors, including overall health and any previous treatments the patients have undergone. For all advanced Colon Cancers, chemo or radiation therapy is used to prevent and alleviate the symptoms and chronic pain it causes. It shrinks the size of the tumours but never treats cancer permanently. If radiation therapy is prescribed to the patients, it is important to understand its prime goal.
Treatment Options for Recurring Colon Cancer
Recurring Colon Cancer means the type of cancer that tends to reoccur or come back after proper cancer treatment. The recurrent of the Colon Cancer can be in distant organs or local, which means it is near the area of previous tumour or cancer.
Treatment Option for Distance Recurring Cancer
If the Colon Cancer reoccurs in a distant site, it is likely to appear first in the liver. In such a condition, surgery is performed in most of the patients. Chemotherapy is prescribed to patients before surgery to shrink the tumours’ size, and then surgery is performed to remove the colon cancer. Embolization or ablation is the proven method to treat some of the liver tumours.
If the cancer spread is more and can’t be treated with surgery, then targeted therapies or chemo is prescribed. Most of the regimens are the same as Stage-4 disease. If the cancer is found to have traits during the laboratory tests, then another treatment option like immunotherapy is used to treat it.
The best treatment option depends on which drug you have used before the Colon Cancer recurrence and for how long you have been using it and your overall health condition. Surgery is needed at some point to prevent the blockage of colon and spreading of local problems. Radiotherapy is prescribed to alleviate the symptoms. Recurring Colon Cancer is quite dangerous and difficult to cure.
Local Recurrence
If the Colon Cancer reoccurs locally, surgical procedure is performed, followed by chemotherapy to help patients live longer and cure cancer permanently. If the locally reoccurred cancer can’t be removed with surgical procedures, then chemotherapy is the treatment option that is tried initially. If it manages to shrink the tumour’s size, the doctors will perform surgery to remove it. The surgery is followed by chemotherapy again to kill the remaining cells permanently.
Prevention
Some medications are proven to minimize the risk of precancerous Colon Cancer. Some of the studies suggest that regular use of aspirin or related drugs reduces the risk of developing polyps or Colon Cancer. But it is not clear yet what is the right dose to consume and for what length it must be used to reduce the risk. You may buy these medicines online after checking 1mg coupon code for today for exciting deals and saving money.
Any patients with increased risk of Colon Cancer must discuss with their doctor immediately to find out the best preventive medicines and procedures that are safe and healthy option to minimize the risk of Colon Cancer.
