So I found out a relative has colon cancer. What exactly is that?
Cancer - 3 Answers
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1 :
Colon cancer is a common type of malignancy (cancer) in which there is uncontrolled growth of the cells that line the inside of the colon or rectum. Colon cancer is also called colorectal cancer. You are at risk of also getting colon cancer: *****Who is at risk for inherited forms of colorectal cancer? -People whose relatives developed colorectal cancer before age 60. -Those with relatives who have other forms of cancer, particularly breast or ovarian cancer. -Those with a family history of stomach, abdominal, bowel, bone, or liver cancer. In the past, colorectal cancer was misdiagnosed as stomach, abdominal, or bowel cancer, or, in later stages, the cancer may have spread to the bone or liver. -Distant relatives, such as cousins, aunts, uncles, etc., who develop colorectal cancer may raise the risk of colorectal cancer for other distant family members. The relative increase in risk is not as high as in those who have first-degree relatives, such as parents or siblings with colorectal cancer.
2 :
The first thing you want to know are the symptoms. With my Mom after she was diagnosed she went in for an MRI. This will tell you if it has spread to her lymph nodes or to other organs. Knowing is sometimes hard, but not knowing is even harder. Colon Cancer Treatment by Stage For all stages of colon cancer, except stage IV, surgery to remove the tumor is the initial treatment. For some cancers, additional treatments, called adjuvant therapy, may be recommended. Stage 0 Stage 0 colon cancer is found only in the innermost lining of the colon. Treatment usually involves one of the following: Polypectomy or local excision to remove the tumor and a small amount of surrounding tissue, or More extensive surgery (resection) to remove larger colon cancers. This may require a procedure called an anastomosis to remove the diseased part of the colon and reattach the healthy tissue to maintain bowel function Surgery to remove all of the cancer is considered curative. Stage I (Dukes A) Stage I tumors have spread beyond the inner lining of the colon to the second and third layers and involves the inside wall of the colon. The cancer has not spread to the outer wall of the colon or outside the colon. Standard treatment involves surgery to remove the cancer and a small amount of tissue around the tumor. Additional treatments are not usually needed. Aggressive surgery to remove all of the cancer offers a great potential for cure. The five year survival rate for stage I colorectal cancer is 93% according to the American Cancer Society. Stage II (Dukes B) Stage II colon cancers are larger and extend through the muscular wall of the colon, but there is no cancer in the lymph nodes (small structures that are found throughout the body that produce and store cells that fight infection). Standard treatment is surgical removal of the cancer and an area surrounding the cancer: A person with Dukes B colon cancer may also be a candidate for a clinical trial looking at the use of adjuvant immunotherapy, radiation or chemotherapy. The 5-year survival rate for Dukes B colon cancer is 78%. Stage III (Dukes C) Stage III colon cancers have spread outside the colon to one or more lymph nodes (small structures that are found throughout the body that produce and store cells that fight infection). Tumors within the colon wall are classified as Dukes Stage C1, while tumors that have grown through the colon wall and have spread, are called Dukes Stage C2 cancers. Treatment involves: Surgery to remove the tumor and all involved lymph nodes if possible. After surgery, the patient will receive chemotherapy with 5-FU and leucovorin. Radiation may be needed if the tumor is large and invading the tissue surrounding the colon Occasionally, a Dukes C cancer may be unresectable for cure even if metastases aren't present. That's because the cancer may have spread into the pancreas, small intestine, or other pelvic organs. A person with Dukes C colon cancer may also be a candidate for a clinical trial looking at the use of adjuvant immunotherapy or other forms of chemotherapy. The 5 year survival rate for Dukes C colon cancer is about 64%. Patients with one to four positive lymph nodes have a higher survival rate than people with more than five positive lymph nodes. Stage IV (Dukes D) Stage IV colon cancers have spread outside the colon to other parts of the body, such as the liver or the lungs. The tumor can be any size and may or may not include affected lymph nodes (small structures that are found throughout the body that produce and store cells that fight infection). Treatment may include: Removal the cancer surgically or another surgical procedure to bypass the colon cancer and hook up healthy colon (an anastomosis). Surgery to remove parts of other organs such as the liver, lungs and ovaries, where the cancer may have spread. Chemotherapy to relieve symptoms Erbitux or Avastin, two new treatments for treating Dukes D colon cancer Clinical trials of new chemotherapy regimens, or immunological therapy. Radiation to relieve symptoms. The 5-year survival rate for Dukes D Colon Cancer is about 8%. Recurrent Colon Cancer Recurrent colon cancer is cancer that returns after treatment. The recurrence can be local or near the area of the initial cancer, or the cancer can return in distant organs. The liver is involved in up to 2/3 of patients who die from colon cancer. Recurrence is most likely in patients with more advanced colon cancer. Treatment may involve: Surgery to remove the recurrences. This may lengthen lifespan and in some cases, this is curative when given with chemotherapy. If the metastases can't be removed, chemotherapy is the main treatment. Clinical trials are another option. Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center. Finding it early is the key to recovery.
3 :
i just found out that my uncle is have surgery this tuesday to remove the bowels because of colon cancer. and my mom is having a breast removed this thursday because of cancer. it sucks. colon cancer starts with little growths that show up growing inside the intestines and when not caught in time they can cause cancer to spread through out. usuerally the person has constant diarahea. dark stools or blood coming up as it gets worse. my uncle has had a lot of pain with other intereral organs and they found the cancer last week after doing a colon test that showed up on the xrays. he will have the bad removed and a bag or its called a clostomy attached for the stools to go into since the intestines are mostly removed.afterwards chemo is done for quite a while to kill all the other cancer cells and to prevent them from spreading. we found out about my mom about 6 weeks ago and after many tests and biopsys she is haveing the operation this week.
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