Monday, July 28, 2008

How long does someone in stage 4 colon cancer have to live

How long does someone in stage 4 colon cancer have to live?
My dad was just diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. I've done some research and read a few answers here on yahoo. Everyone is saying that this is "a death sentence". I was wondering if anyone knows how long the average life expectancy is of someone with stage four colon cancer...it has spread to the liver and lungs as well.
Cancer - 8 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Sorry but it is time for him to get things in order, make his peace, pack up and say goodbye.
2 :
nobody can answer this question like a doctor, especially HIS doctor. and i'm truly sorry to hear about this. take care.
3 :
remember that everyone is individual so there may well be no right answers. Talk to your dads doctor, his support nurse, the macmillan nurse or phone BACUP and ask them. They may not be able to give you definitive answers but they will certainly be able to help. Good luck.
4 :
Varies per person. Ask his doctor. You might want to try this. This has only been confirmed with prostate cancer but doctors are pretty sure and will soon test it with other cancers. If he eats a diet of fruits and vegetables with whole wheat and low protein and low fat, the cancer might progress slower. it won't stop it but he might live longer.
5 :
I dont like putting a date on these kinds of situations, but unfortunately this type of Cancer can be particularly savage and can be quite swift, in as far as some as the cases i have seen and been involved with, (i am a community care worker) Some i have been involved with, can hold on for 3 or 4 years if they are quite healthy, if not they can go as quickly as 6 months from diagnosis.......I apologize for being the bearer of bad news, but the best you can do for your dad is to be there for him, allow him that time to greive, the greiving process is goind to take him through some pretty strong emotions, so you are really going to need to be there for him during this stage, even if you are dealing with your own issues in regards to grief..... and to be close to all of his family, hold his hand when he wants to, and just let him know you love him......other than that i can offer some website that will also give you some pointers as to how to deal with this issue. They are.......Paliative care explained...involves grief processes and how to deal with death..... http://www.disability.vic.gov.au/dsonline/dsarticles.nsf/(Pages)/Palliative_care_explained?OpenDocument Grief and bereavement http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/179_06_150903/mad10520_fm.html
6 :
You should really join the forum on www.cancer.org (American Cancer Society). I have no idea if your dad has had surgery, or radiation, or what chemo's he's on. Probably 5FU, Oxaliplatin, Avastin, or Camptosar. Depends on his age and general health. Colon/rectal cancer quite commonly, metastacizes (spreads) to the lung, liver. If lesions can be contained, the function of that organ will continue. Also, look at www.accuray.com for information on Cyberknife. It's a very targeted form of radiation and offers some patients who were told they were inoperable, some hope. Even the best doctors in the most well known cancer centers, aren't aware or well versed in this and other technologies, so please continue your research.
7 :
Do a colon cleanse Colon Cleanse http://www.soundfeelings.com/free/colon_cleansing.htm#recipe Take a look at the site below which explains many misunderstood things about the cancer industry, and has some natural cures too. Cancer http://dgwa1.fortunecity.com/body/cancer.html
8 :
My aunt had colon cancer 2 years ago. She recently found out that it has spread to her lungs. She is in Stage 4. The doctors have told her that without treatment, she will die. With treatment, she has a 30-40% survival rate. There are several new experimental treatments for colon cancer that she has been looking into. One is called "CyberKnife." The other one is using stem cells. I know how scary this diagnosis is for you and your family. Don't give up. There are options.

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Thursday, July 24, 2008

Can you have colon cancer and have no other symptoms except pain

Can you have colon cancer and have no other symptoms except pain?
Is it possible to have colon cancer, and yet only have one symptom, which is abdominal discomfort, which is on and off and can be absent for months and then come back, at age 21- and again, no other symptoms except the on and off discomfort pain, which usually is only there in the morning the days it does appear?
Cancer - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
It is very possible to have colon cancer with no symptoms at all. Abdominal pain is not an early warning symptom for colon cancer. Intermittent abdominal pain in a 21 year old is far more likely to be caused by a benign disorder rather than a malignancy of the colon or a cancer of any other kind in the abdomen. It would be unlikely for any cancer caused pain to get better or go away for months and then come back off and on with no treatment. If a cancer is causing pain, it is stretching or pressing on a pain sensitive area. If a cancer is untreated, the pain it causes is more constant and progressive rather than intermittent.
2 :
I don't think you have colon cancer and to clear things up, ask your doctor to order you to have a colonoscopy to be done, as this test will tell all if there's anything to tell re your colon and abdominal pain. You may have diverticulitis which cause great abdominal discomfort.
3 :
Your answer is yes; however to make sure one always needs a colonoscopy. With new technology, they are painless. You are medicated before the procedure and will remember nothing. I encourage you to take the next step for your peace of mind. Good luck!

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Sunday, July 20, 2008

How safe is Dual Action Cleanse? I just started taking it because I am trying to prevent colon cancer

How safe is Dual Action Cleanse? I just started taking it because I am trying to prevent colon cancer.?
My grandmother survived colon cancer about 5 years ago. I want to do all I can to prevent it. I figured I would start by eating healthier and adding more fiber and water to my diet. I also just started taking dual action cleanse. I got it from walmart, so i didn't pay a ton of money for it. Is it safe?
Alternative Medicine - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Taking stimulant laxatives* isn't a good idea - even if they are natural. The best prevention is a diet that is high in fiber, fruits and vegetables, low in animal products, and a lifestyle that includes regular excercise. Plain old fiber is the best "cleaner" of your colon available, it sweeps things along through your intestinal tract....and while its found in many foods, metamucil (or the walmart brand) can be taken in addition to a diet that includes plenty of fruits and veggies to increase your fiber intake. *herbs such as senna, cascara sagrada, turkish rhubarb, etc...
2 :
It may be safe but these cleansers have not been shown to have any health benefit whatsoever. Have a look at the wiki article and check the sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_cleansing#Colon_cleansing
3 :
Some herbal mixtures have negative effects on the body, there's really nothing to suggest that these products do the things they claim to do and of course could just as easily increase your risk factor. Eating a healthy diet with plenty of fibre is the best (and safest) thing you can do.
4 :
As long as you have no other medical conditions you should be fine. I don't think you should take it long term with out a break though. If you do get off of the dual action cleanse don't do it suddenly or you might get constipated. Try tapering off. EDIT: Make sure you follow the directions. It's not a good idea to take laxatives long term. Except bulk forming ones like psyllium. If you want to prevent colon cancer, vitamin D is one of the best ways to do that. The research coming out on vitamin D is amazing. Just do a Google video search for vitamin D and cancer and you will see how profound it is. 20 years from now all Doctors will be recommending vitamin D for their patients. Vitamin D activates the most innate part of the immune system. Vitamin D seems to fight many types of cancers not just colon cancer. I personally take 10,000 IU a day which is regarded as the tolerable upper limit (for now). It's almost impossible to overdose. Hope that helps you.

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Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Can someone have colon cancer symptoms but, the tumor is not cancerous

Can someone have colon cancer symptoms but, the tumor is not cancerous?
Can someone have colon cancer symptoms, but the tumor is not cancerous? Is this possible? Please help!
Cancer - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Yes. Proctitis causes inflamed tissue in the colon.
2 :
Yes, possible. If someone has colon cancer symptoms, its highly recommended to further investigate the condition using colonoscopy with biopsy. Its recommended to do a colonoscopy yearly for people above 50 years old. The size of tumor can be seen using a CT scan. Some of the common colon cancer symptoms are, 1. Changes in your bowel habits, such as bowel movements that are either more or less frequent than normal, 2. Constipation (difficulty having a bowel movement or straining to have a bowel movement), 3. Diarrhea (loose or watery stools) 4. Intermittent (alternating) constipation and diarrhea, 5. Bright red or dark red blood in your stools or black, dark colored, "tarry" stools, 6. Stools that are thinner than normal ("pencil stools") or feeling as if you cannot empty your bowels completely, 7. Abdominal (midsection) discomfort, bloating, frequent gas pains, or cramps.
3 :
Yes, it is possible. If you have seen a medical doctor but aren't comfortable with his diagnosis, please get a second opinion. The doctors expect this and are not insulted.

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Saturday, July 12, 2008

Name of a rare cancer that is treated like colon cancer

Name of a rare cancer that is treated like colon cancer?
My friend's relative has a rare cancer and the Doctors are treating her with the same methods as they would use on a patient with colon cancer. Any idea what this cancer could be called? My friend can't remember the name of it and I am trying to find out. Thank you in advance.
Cancer - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Not all colon cancer is the same there are about a dozen types. The treatment if colon cancer if early enough is extremal successful. A rarer form of digestive cancer is cancer of the small intestine
2 :
Neuroendocrine tumors?
3 :
Might be a carcinoid tumor of the GI tract. Rare. Treated like colon cancer. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/carcinoid-tumors/DS00834
4 :
It could be so many things, but I wonder if the cancer is near the color. The small intestine and large intestine are both possibilities. The symptoms and treatments can be similar, so that's why I thought it might be an option. You can also browse through WebMD for other cancers to see other options.
5 :
Anal Cancer Anal cancer is a rare type of cancer. The anus is where stool leaves your body when you go to the bathroom. It is made up of your outer layers of skin and the end of your large intestine. Anal cancer is a disease in which cancer cells form in the tissues of the anus. Symptoms include bleeding, pain or lumps in the anal area. Anal itching and discharge can also be signs of anal cancer. Possible treatments include radiation, chemotherapy and surgery. Your treatment will depend whether the tumor has spread, and on the type, size and location of the tumor. Treatment Options by Stage The type of treatment your cancer care team will recommend depends on the type of cancer and how far it has spread. This section sums up the options available for anal cancer treatment according to the stage of disease. Treatment of anal melanoma is separately discussed in the American Cancer Society document, Melanoma Skin Cancer. Anal tumors affecting the anal margin or the perianal skin (and not the anal canal) are considered to be skin cancers and are not treated in the same way as anal canal cancers. Stage 0: : Anal cancers are rarely diagnosed at this stage. Because stage 0 tumors do not invade beneath the top layer of the anal canal, they can often be completely removed by surgery (local resection). Stages I and II: Local resection can be used to remove small tumors (usually less than 1 centimeter or Â½ inch) that do not involve the sphincter. If the cancer can't be removed by a local resection without harming the anal sphincter, you will likely be treated with combined radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Even if it can be removed with local surgery, many doctors recommend adding chemotherapy and radiation therapy as a safeguard. In the past, the standard treatment was a radical surgery called abdominoperineal (AP) resection that would result in a colostomy. But doctors have found that chemotherapy and external-beam radiation almost always work just as well and avoid the need for a colostomy. Combining radiation therapy and chemotherapy has been shown to be better than radiation alone. The 2 treatments are given over the same time period. The chemotherapy usually consists of 5-FU with either mitomycin C or cisplatin. The mitomycin or cisplatin is given as a short intravenous (IV) injection, usually at the start of radiation treatment and then again near the end, at around 4 to 6 weeks. The 5-FU is often given by a long IV infusion over 4 to 5 days and repeated in 4 to 6 weeks. In some cases, your doctor may suggest internal radiation along with the external beam radiation. If the cancer has not completely gone away after radiation and chemotherapy have been completed, surgery may be needed to remove what remains. But it is important to know that it may take several weeks after completing radiation therapy for the cancer to disappear completely. Stage IIIA: In most cases, the first choice of treatment is radiation therapy and chemotherapy as in stage I and II disease. If part of the tumor remains despite the use of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, more treatment may be given. In certain cases, surgery (either a local resection or a more extensive operation) can be done. If the cancer has spread to local lymph nodes, these may be removed with surgery or treated with radiation therapy. Stage IIIB: A cure is possible with stage IIIB disease, but it is harder to achieve. The most common approach to treatment is radiation therapy plus chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, followed by surgery (local resection or APR) to remove any remaining tumor. Surgery to remove the cancer-containing lymph nodes may be done during this operation or at a later time. Because cancer at this stage can be hard to treat, people with stage IIIB anal cancer might be helped by taking part in a clinical trial. Stage IV: In this advanced stage of disease, treatment is aimed at controlling the disease and relieving symptoms. To do this, doctors may recommend surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or some combination of these methods. People with this stage of anal cancer might also want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Recurrent anal cancer: If your cancer returns in the anus or local lymph nodes after treatment, the choices available to you may depend on what treatment you had the first time.For example, if you had surgery, you may receive radiation therapy and chemotherapy. If you first had radiation therapy, then you may need surgery and/or chemotherapy. In treating recurrent cancer, a more extensive operation, such as an APR, may be needed. Again, clinical trials may prove to be valuable for people with recurrent anal cancer. ...read more at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/analcancer.html

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Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Why is the incidence of Colon Cancer higher in wealthy nations than in developing nations

Why is the incidence of Colon Cancer higher in wealthy nations than in developing nations?
I need some help answering the following question. Any help would be greatly appreciated: 1. What conclusion might you draw from the fact that in wealthy nations the incidence of colon cancer is higher than in developing nations? Justify your answer. -thanks
Homework Help - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Individuals in wealthy nations tend to consume richer food and more processed food -- and less fibre.
2 :
In wealthy nations they tend to have a need to process foods at a faster rate where in the poorer nations its grown naturally and they are not putting all the additives in food and injecting growth hormones into the live stock.
3 :
Lakewood is right, however there are several other factors that may account for the decreased incidence in developing nations: lower life expectancy - colon cancer is a late in life disease poor detection - if you don't get tested, you just get sick and you don't know it is colon cancer that is making you sick poor reporting - developing nations often have health care systems that fail to report the accurate incidence of disease poor communication and lack of health care infrastructure also contribute the the statistics showing a significantly lower incidence of colon cancer. It may actually be higher than reported.
4 :
Higher cunsumption of red meat and low fiber.

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Friday, July 4, 2008

Does a colon polyp cause the same symptoms as colon cancer

Does a colon polyp cause the same symptoms as colon cancer?
I am 20 years old and I feel something is wrong with my colon and I have all the symptoms that arise from colon cancer. I read that colonoscopys are given to people over 50 because people my age arent at risk or it's rare to have colon cancer. And I was just wondering what other things are there that have the same symptoms as colon cancer?
Other - Diseases - 2 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Younger populations do not have a high risk for colorectal cancer (although it does occur, rarely). Certain things which may cause colonic symptoms in younger people are ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, anal fissure, and lactose intolerance. Keeping a log of your symptoms and seeing a GP will help sort out what the cause is.
2 :
No. Polyps don't have any symptoms--although I suppose a grotesquely enormous polyp could obstruct the colon, I have never heard of such a growth. Polyps tend to just be found on a regular colonoscopy and are removed by biopsy in case they are cancerous. If you are having symptoms that you associate with "colon cancer" it is far more likely that you actually are experiencing another GI issue, perhaps: inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis), irritable bowel syndrome, or diverticulosis. Also, fructose and glucose intolerance (coeliac disease) can present with extremely unpleasant symptoms (far worse than lactose intolerance). All of the above (except for fructose intolerance) are diagnosed with colonoscopy, which will rule out colon cancer. Accordingly, I would call a physician and see a gastroenterologist so you can sleep easier! Except for the most severe cases, most of these can be well managed with oral medications or dietary changes. All of the above diseases can be characterized (depending on disease severity) by any mixture of the following symptoms: loose stools, abdominal cramping, blood in the stools, urgency, fecal incontinence, gas, bloating, noted inabilities to eat certain foods (i.e. most IBD patients get diarrhea from corn or pain from whole nuts), rectal pain, fatigue, anemia. Try reading about the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and see if this sounds like what you may have: http://www.ccfa.org/info/about/crohns http://www.ccfa.org/info/about/ucp Although a colonoscopy probably sounds really awful to you, as someone who works with them on a regular basis and sees people who need to have them regularly, I assure you that it is far better to have a colonoscopy than to live with chronically active bowel problems.

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Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Is it probable to get the munchies with colon cancer

Is it probable to get the munchies with colon cancer?
if you have colon cancer do you feel hungry all the time?
Cancer - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Have you been diagnosed with colon cancer?
2 :
There is no correlation between the two. In fact, it would be opposite. The pain from colon cancer, depending how bad it is, would discourage an appetite. Most colon cancer are found when it's a little advanced unless the person has regular colonoscopies. My last one just 5 months ago showed 3 polyps. Thank God they were removed and benign. So if you suspect colon cancer, don't wait. Get it checked out OK.
3 :
Is that what's wrong with me? I have stage III colon cancer, and I seem to be eating all the time. I think it could be a different reason, too--they took out about 8" of my colon October 1, the transverse colon that runs across your body straight under your stomach. I think that since there's now an empty space there, my body is interpreting it as my stomach's empty, so it tells me to eat.