Staging Colon Cancer

Staging is a method of evaluating the progress of colon cancer in a patient. That is, it looks at the colon cancer (tumor) and the extent to which the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Once doctors know how far along the colon cancer is, they can decide on the best course of treatment.

Today, the most common used system for the staging of colon cancer is the American Joint Committee on Cancer's (AJCC) TNM staging system. This staging system places patients into one of four stages (Stage I, Stage II, Stage III and Stage IV).

American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Staging System

Stage 0 Colon Cancer

In Stage 0, the colon cancer is found in the innermost lining of the colon only. Stage 0 colorectal cancer is also called carcinoma in situ.

Stage I Colon Cancer

In Stage I, the colon cancer has begun to spread, but is still in the inner lining of the colon or rectum. In Stage I, the colon cancer has not reached the outer wall of the colon. Another name for Stage I colorectal cancer or Duke A.

Stage II Colon Cancer

In Stage II, the colon cancer extends more deeply into and/or through the colon or rectum. The colon cancer may have invaded nearby tissue. In Stage II, it the colon cancer has not reached lymph nodes (Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped structures found throughout the body that filter substances in a fluid call lymph to help fight infection and disease. Another name for Stage II colorectal cancer or Duke B.

Stage III Colon Cancer

In Stage III, the colon cancer has spread to lymph nodes, but has not been carried to distant parts of the body. Another name for Stage III colorectal cancer or Duke C.

Stage IV Colon Cancer

In Stage IV, the colon cancer has been carried through the lymph system to distant parts of the body. This is known as metastasis. The most likely organs to experience metastasis from colorectal cancer are the lungs and liver. Another name for Stage IV colorectal cancer or Duke D.

Recurrent Colon Cancer or Cancerous Cells

Recurrent colon cancer is the return of cancerous cells that have already been treated. The cancerous cells could return as colorectal cancer, and/or return in any other part of the body.

Theodore Frazer [http://www.colonproducts.com]

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Colon Cancer: All the General Information About Colon Cancer that You Need to Know

Colon cancer is, as its name suggests, a disease that affects the colon. The colon is a tube shaped organ, located in the abdomen, that starts at the end of the bowel and ends with the anus. It twists and turns a lot, so its length is over 4 feet. The functions of the colon are to digest the food, absorb the nutrient substances from it (proteins and aminoacids), and to create the concentrated fecal material, which is then stored and eliminated from the colon when the time comes. The end of the colon is called rectum. The rectum and the colon together form the large intestine.

When colon cancer occurs, tumors appear on the inner walls of the large intestine. There are two types of tumors - benign tumors, also called polyps, which are not dangerous, and malignant tumors, which are the cancer.
Polyps do not spread to other cells and tissues and they can be easily removed. Tumors on the other hand, can spread and cause life-threatening complications. Remember that a benign polyp will turn into a malignant tumor if it is not treated in time.

Once a colon cancer appears it will start to spread and attack other tissues and cells, and eventually it can reach the lungs or the liver and form new tumors there.
The causes of colon cancer are nor entirely known, but what is known is that some people are at a higher risk of developing colon cancer than others. Those who consume large quantities of fats and those who had a history of colon cancer in the family are most likely to get colon cancer. Smoking and alcohol also increases the risks.

The disease has almost no symptoms when it is in its early stages, and when it advances the symptoms are different from one person to another and they depend on the size of the cancer and its exact location.
The most commonly encountered symptoms of colon cancer are:

-narrow stools

-stool that contains blood

-abdominal cramps and pain

-excessive gas

-weight loss

-change in bowel habits

If you notice any of the symptoms mentioned above consult a doctor as fast as you can. He will make several tests in order to establish a diagnose. Some people consider these tests to be embarrassing, because among them there are rectal exams, and fecal sample tests.
If the test results indicate colon cancer than treatment must begin as soon as possible before it spreads to other areas. The main options for colon cancer treatment are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Surgery the most popular treatment method.

The good news is that most of the people survive colon cancer, as time passes the survival rate increases. Survival depends on which stage of colon cancer the patient has. If the cancer has reached the final stage then the chances are much lower because the cancer has already spread to other distant organs of the body.

Although the treatments are improving and the survival rate is increasing colon cancer is still one of the leading cause of death, because many don't know that they have it until they reach the final stages. It is important to pay attention to its symptoms and consult a doctor for medical advice from time to time.

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Some Answers To Colon Cancer Questions

1. What is colon cancer?

Cancer is a disease which can affect cells from all organs. The colon cancer affects the cells of the colon, determining them to proliferate in an uncontrollable way. This mass of abnormal cells will form a tumor inside the colon. The cancer of the intestine is quite frequent and two thirds of this type of cancer is situated in the colon.

2. Who can develop colon cancer?

You are at risk of developing colon cancer if you drink a lot of alcohol and you are obese. Also if other members of your family had colon cancer or breast cancer you could inherit some genes that make you more sensible to cancer. If you have polyps on your intestine and you leave them untreated for a long time, they can transform into malign polyps, meaning that cancer had occurred.

3. Is my diet involved in cancer development?

Following a diet which is rich in fats and proteins could expose you to cancer. If you eat a lot of fruit, vegetables and high fiber foods you can prevent colon cancer from occurring.

4. Does colon cancer come with any symptoms?

There are some symptoms which could announce that cancer is installing, but they also appear in other diseases. Some of the symptoms are: seeing blood in your bowels, alternation of diarrhea with constipation, and low abdominal pains.

5. How does the doctor know that I have cancer?

The doctor will perform a sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy to examine the insides of the colon. Also x-rays of the colon will be performed. These methods will see if tumors are present inside the colon. In order to stage colon cancer CT and ultrasound will be used.

6. Can colon cancer be treated?

Generally the most indicated procedure in trying to treat colon cancer is surgery. By surgery the doctors will remove the tumor from the colon. If the cancer spread, giving metastasis, the doctors will recommend you chemotherapy and radiotherapy. These are hard bearable due to their side effects like nausea, vomiting, loss of hair, fever, and tiredness.

7. Is the treatment effective or not?

If the colon cancer was diagnosed in its early stages and it has not spread to other organs the treatment will be 90% effective and patients will survive even five years after. If the cancer has given metastasis the treatment will not be so effective any more and half of the diagnosed patients will live less that five years.

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Colon Cancer Treatments - The Three Most Common Procedures

If you have been diagnosed with colon cancer, then your next step is to think about treatment. Treatment options vary and will be determined by the stage of colon cancer and the location of the cancer. Your oncologist will be able to give you the best advice on which treatment option is right for you. This article is going to explain three of the most common treatments for colon cancer. Keep reading to gain a valuable education.

Surgery is a Standard Treatment for Colon Cancer

Surgery to remove all sections of the bowel that has been affected by cancer is a common treatment in all stages of colon cancer. There are three types of surgery that can be used to remove the cancer. They are:

1. Local excision. This is reserved for cancer that is found in the early stages. The doctor will simply insert a tube into your rectum and advance it into the colon. He will then be able to cut away the cancerous part of the colon. If a polyp is involved, he can remove the polyp this way also. This is a fairly simple surgery and requires no incision.
2. Resection. This is used if the cancer in the colon has become quite large. The surgeon will make an incision into the abdomen and remove part of the colon that is affected by the cancer. He will also remove small sections of healthy tissue that surrounds the diseased section of the bowel. Lymph nodes near the colon may be removed so they can be examined to determine if the cancer has spread. The surgeon will then sew the two healthy ends of the bowel together.
3. Resection and colostomy. Depending on the what part of the colon is affected and how much of the colon is involved, the surgeon may be unable to sew the healthy ends back together. In that case, one end of the bowel will be brought through a hole that is made in the abdomen. This is called a stoma. The patient will then need to wear bag over the stoma because the waste is now being expelled through the stoma. This is called a colostomy. Many people are able to lead normal lives after a colostomy.
4. Radiation to Treat Colon Cancer

Radiation can be high energy x-rays or other forms of radiation that is used to kill off cancer cells or to keep them from growing. Radiation may be given externally or it may be given internally through needles, seeds or catheters that are placed near the cancer. The way radiation is used is determined by the location and the size of the cancer.

Chemotherapy Treatment for Colon Cancer

Chemotherapy drugs can be used to kill cancer cells or to stop them from spreading. Chemotherapy can be injected through the vein or ingested through the mouth in the form of pills. It can also be injected directly into the area that is affected by the cancer such as the abdomen or the spine.

All of these treatments may be used alone or in combination with each other. A lot of patients that have surgery to remove part of the diseased colon will have chemotherapy or radiation to kill of any traveling cancer cells.

Colon cancer can be cured if caught early enough and contained. Stay in tune to your body and get regular check ups.

Whilst every opportunity has been take to ensure that all information is correct and up to date at time of writing, it is not meant to be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please always consult your doctor or health care specialist if you are in any way concerned about your health.

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Knowing The Signs Of Colon Cancer Can Save Your Life!

Any kind of cancer is almost synonymous with disease and death and colon cancer, also referred to as colorectal cancer, is another such dangerous disease. It develops innocuously, often without any forewarning and very often there is an absence of any obvious symptoms. Give the prevalence of this disease it is important that every individual, especially those who are high risk, should arm themselves with adequate knowledge about the signs of colon cancer as well as the treatment options available.

Symptoms of colon cancer include presence of blood in the stools and bleeding of the rectum. Some of the other signs of colon cancer could include change in bowel regularity, benign polyps in the colon, a decrease in stool size, cramps, unexplained weight loss, vomiting, the existence of pain in the stomach and continuous fatigue. These are the signs you should look for if you suspect that you could possibly be developing colon cancer.

But the unfortunate truth is that an individual can have colon cancer and not exhibit any of the mentioned symptoms. Unfortunately, this happens way too often. A physical exam usually doesn't show any problems and the doctor only suspects colon cancer and calls for a screening if a routine exam reveals a mass of tissues that is usually felt through the abdomen. Currently a screening of the colon, or a colonoscopy is the only way of getting a view of the entire colon and determining the extent of the abnormality.

Even then, polyps within the colon are not always suggestive of cancer. Colon cancer's symptoms are further ambiguous as even blood in the stool isn't always suggestive of colon cancer. It is thus reasonable for the medical industry to assign risk factors to certain events in an individual's life. One of these events is an individual's age. A person's age is the major risk factor even though colon cancer doesn't only occur for those over fifty. It is just that one's chances are higher at that age when most signs and symptoms of colon cancer tend to appear.

Individuals who are high risk for colon cancer include those who have a family history of cancer, irrespective of the kind of cancer. Polyps that are in the colon are also signs of colon cancer, but must be properly diagnosed by a health professional.

If you are above the age fifty, and wish to know more about colon cancer, the Center for Disease Control has a program for those individuals who are more than fifty years of age and who have little or no health insurance. The number to call for any help, is 1-800-4-CANCER. Since colon cancer is such a widespread problem, the program helps to offer screenings for the disease. There are estimates that over 52,000 people lost their lives to colon and rectal cancer in 2007 in the United States alone. Learning to recognize the signs of colon cancer is the best cure against this killer disease.

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What Is Colon Cancer?

Colon cancer is cancer of the large intestine (colon), the lower part of your digestive system. About 112,000 people are diagnosed with this type of cancer annually in the United States of America. This data was released by the American Cancer Society. Most new cases of colon cancer begin with small cell clumps. They are called Adenomatous Polyps. Over time some of these clumps develop into dangerous cancer cells. In general, cancer occurs when healthy body cells turn into "enemies" inside your own body. A patient will not see any early symptoms before the actual cancer cells have developed. One reason why early pre-screening examinations provide the best protection from colon cancer to develop into the dangerous illness it can be. Common signs of colon cancer include (but are not limited to) changes in bowel habits, blood in a patients stool, recurring cramping, gas, bloating or even abdominal pain. Blood in your stool may be an early sign of cancer, but it can also indicate other conditions like hemorrhoids or minor tears in your anal area. Recurring blood found in your stool should trigger a visit to your primary care physician as a precaution (rather safe than sorry).

Risk factors that might may increase your risk of becoming sick with colon cancer. Age is a large risk factor. The typical patient is 50 years or older in age. A family history of cancer, especially colon cancer could indicate that you have a higher risk of becoming sick. Long-standing inflammatory diseases of the colon can put you at higher risk of colon cancer. Colon cancer may be associated with a bad diet that is low in fiber and very high in fat and calories (Junk Food). Scientists have not fully agreed on this last item, but in general a diet that contains a lot of Junk Food (Burgers, Fries, Fried Food in general, etc.) is high in bad fats which has already shown to affect a patient's health in a very negative way. If you are more of couch potato and less the active guy or gal, you might have a higher risk of getting colon cancer. Diabetics also face a possible higher risk of colon cancer. This list can be expanded easily by adding obesity, large alcohol consumption and smoking. Just keep in mind that these are just pieces that can increase the risk of getting colon cancer. It does not mean that smoking (just to mention an example) will cause colon cancer. You would probably die of lung cancer first.

If you notice any easy to spot symptoms of colon cancer, such as blood in your stool or a persistent, recurring change in your bowel habits, visit your primary care physician as soon as possible and talk about the possibility of colon cancer. Also consider pre-screening as an option if colon cancer has a family history.

Conclusion: Colon cancer is no fun to have. It is a real risk and any suspicion of experiencing colon cancer should be treated accordingly by visiting your doctor. A healthy lifestyle with regular exercise will help not only to reduce the risk of cancer, but also to prevent many other diseases. Your doctor and your health insurance can help you to develop a diet that is not only healthy, but tastes good as well.

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Colon Cancer Treatment Options

The earlier colon cancer is detected, the higher survival rate increase. It can be treated successfully with early detection so the best treatment of colon cancer is being checked regularly if you have a family history of it, fall under any of the risks factors, or are the age 50 or above. 

Depending on the size of the cancer, location, overall general health, and in what stage the cancer was detected will play a factor into what type of treatment will be discussed with you through your doctor. The most common method of colon cancer treatment is surgical removal often followed by chemo or radiation is it is felt there is any risk of cancerous cells remaining. Surgical removal of cancer in the colon often results in a temporary or permanent colostomy. Your surgeon will remove the cancer from your colon along with a certain percentage of healthy colon on each side of the cancerous growth. They will then reattach the colon. In many cases, if the cancer is not caught at onset, the surgeon will have to remove quiet a large section of the colon leading to the need of a permanent colostomy bag. A colostomy bag becomes the new exit for your bodies waste. Sometimes a patient will have to wear a temporary colostomy bag to give the colon the proper time needed to heal successfully.  

Chemotherapy or radiation may follow the surgical procedure if there is any chance that cancer cells were missed or thought to be in other areas of your body. Chemotherapy medications are administered either through an IV or through a pill form. The medication kills and controls cancerous cells. If colon cancer is caught at early onset, and presents very small and isolated, your doctor may consider using just chemotherapy or radiation to eliminate the cancer. 

Radiation therapy uses ionizing radiation to control malignant cancer cells either before or after surgery, or both. It can also be done solely if the colon cancer is caught early. Before surgery, it is generally used to control and/or minimize the size of the tumor to make removal of the tumor easier. After surgery it s used to eradicate any existing cancer cells that may still be present. The ionized radiation is applied directly to the tumor and a small amount of the surrounding healthy tissue to ensure that the entire tumor is treated. 

Biological therapy is also being offered to patients with colon cancer. It is still on a research basis treatment; however, researches have been seeing significant results. Biologic therapy works with your body's immune system to eliminate cancer cells. Currently there are several different types of biological therapy being tested including interferons, interleukins, colony stimulating factors, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, gene therapy, and nonspecific immune-modulating agents. Biological therapy can be used in conjunction of more traditional means of therapy, or depending on the stage. The different types of biologic therapies, in theory, are a means to wake up your own immune system to recognize the cancer cells as being a foreign object in your system and fight them off much like your immune system does when you get a virus. Most of the biologic therapies are used to stop the growth of cancer cells, or control or suppress the growth. 

If faced with colon cancer, educate yourself to all of the options available to you and discuss them in detail with your doctor. If you fall in the risk factors of colon cancer such as over the age of 50, previous history of cancer, family history, or other colon/rectal related problems make sure you get regular check ups. Early detection is essential in the battle of colon cancer.

George Edmondson is an accomplished writer about colon cancer treatment For more information about colon cancer, you can visit our colon cancer help site.

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