Thursday, July 28, 2011

How deadly is colon cancer

How deadly is colon cancer?
My aunt was very recently diagnosed with colon cancer, and is currently in the hospital. I am very worried about her, and I don't really know anything about this form of cancer. Is it easy to cure? How long does treatment typically take? Can your body reject or rufuse treatment?
Cancer - 3 Answers
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1 :
How deadly it is depends largely on the stage as does the way it is treated. I see patients cured everyday with colonoscopy alone. At stage 1 the 5 year survival rate is 50-95%. At stage 4 it is 5%.
2 :
If you catch it early enough the chances of survival are good. It is surgically removed. Then you may need chemotherapy to reduce the risk of it flaring up somewhere else.
3 :
It's going to depend on the stage the cancer was discovered at, but colon cancer is one of the most treatable kinds of cancer. At stage 1, the tumor can be removed during a colonoscopy, since it has not yet invaded the colon wall, and the cure rate is over 95%. At stage 2, it has invaded the colon wall, but it has not yet gone into other parts of the body. This is removed through surgery, where the colon is "resectioned" (a portion is removed and the ends sewn together). At this stage, the cure rate is still about 85%. At stage 3, it has gone through the colon wall and invaded some lymph nodes. At this point, after surgery the success rate is about 60%, and chemotherapy will be given, raising the cure rate to about 75%. My chemo was 12 sessions two weeks apart, though if my white blood cell count went down (it only happened once), they would delay it for a week. They'll start chemo about 45 days after the surgery, to allow you to build up your strength. Stage 4 is when it's especially serious. That's when it's gone into other organs, especially the liver or the lungs, and I've seen estimates of the cure rate as low as 5%. But it's a slow spreading cancer, so that's why it's very important to get checked out as soon as you suspect anything (I waited until I was in extreme pain, so I was at stage 3 when they caught it). The chemo is relatively easy on you, compared to some other types. I never lost my hair, though it did stop growing, and I didn't get nauseous, because they were able to give me all sorts of anti-nausea medicines. Unfortunately, one of the medicines (Oxaliplatin) almost always causes your hands and feet to hurt whenever they get cold, but that always went away after a few days for me. She will still get tired, but most people are able to still continue their everyday routines. I slept an extra hour or so each night and was usually OK.

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Sunday, July 24, 2011

What symptoms did you have before learning you had colon cancer

What symptoms did you have before learning you had colon cancer?

Cancer - 4 Answers
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1 :
I do not have it, however I am noticing some issues you may have or not have. You can answer this in additonal details. I have shrunk a few inches, number two has varried in size shape and had small black dots in it sometimes and usually breaks really easiely. Butt pinches or cramps. Pain everywhere, more gas at night and thats about it. However I do have tmjd and muscle tightness everywhere as well so it could be both..
2 :
A Word About Colon Cancer Symptoms: Colon cancer does not always present symptoms. Colon cancer symptoms sometimes do not appear until the disease has progressed into an advanced stage. Bleeding - Blood in Stool: This is the most commonly experienced colon cancer symptom. As a tumor grows larger, the passage of feces can cause the tumor to bleed. it is common to see blood if the tumor is near the anus, but it is much more common for the blood to be hidden inside the stools. Weight Loss: An unexpected weight loss accompanied by other symptoms can indicate colon cancer. The pain and discomfort caused by a tumor can lead to loss of appetite, which in turn results in weight loss. Changes in Bowel Habits: If you are consistently constipated or have diarrhea, this must be evaluated by a physician. Changes in bowel habits also include gas and producing thinner stools. Thinner stools are usually the result of a tumor obstructing the passage of feces. This is one of the more common colon cancer symptoms. Abdominal Discomfort: Abdominal discomfort can mean many things - bloating, swelling, cramping and feeling full. Abdominal Pain: Swelling and pain of the abdomen are also symptoms of colon cancer. This usually occurs when the intestine is blocked by a tumor. If the tumor grows large, then nausea and vomiting can occur. Fatigue: Fatigue is a symptom of many cancers. It can also be a symptom of many other conditions that aren't cancer related. Fatigue experienced with cancer can be mild or severe. Talking to Your Doctor: Many people feel shy to talk about bowel habits with their doctor, especially women. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, I can't stress how important it is to talk to your doctor! Better to be safe than sorry!
3 :
you have none till your later stages such as DUke stage 4 which mean it has made it to the lymph nodes and has spread to other organs sometimes symptoms start in Duke stage 3. The only way to know if you have colon cancer and to catch it early is getting a colonoscopy
4 :
Well, as the above answerer said, colon cancer doesn't show any symptoms until it's quite advanced. Hence, by the time I was diagnosed, I was a stage IIIC. But the symptoms I experienced were: - rectal bleeding (blood literally dripped from my behind) - painful stomach cramps - a feeling of not having emptied my bowels fully, kinda like feeling constipated - thin stools - fatigue What made me see a doctor was the cramps and bleeding!

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Wednesday, July 20, 2011

What are the symptons for colon cancer?, how do u know u have it?, does age matter

What are the symptons for colon cancer?, how do u know u have it?, does age matter?
where should u have pain? i know its alot of questions bc i need 2 know bc i am having pain near my appendix but i already got that checked and it isnt my appendix!!!! ahh =[
Cancer - 3 Answers
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1 :
I have an uncle who had it recently and the way he discovered it was from the bleeding it caused internally (when he went to the bathroom, there was a lot of blood in it).
2 :
Colonic Cancer Symptom: Pain on the left lower portion of the abdomen accompanied by constipation or intermittent diarrhea and constipation. The feeling of unfulfilled bowel movement or pain before bowel movement is very common. Blood in the stools is often detected and usually followed by relief of the pain. Loss of weight and small caliber of the stool size are some of the signs which could lead to the diagnosis. Diagnosis: Colonic Cancer Organ Involved: Large Intestines Cause: Unknown. Chronic cases of Amoebic dysentery, high intake of aflatoxin containing foodstuffm high smoke fish and bar-b-cue diet are some of the known factors related to the incidence of colonic cancer. Initial Treatment: Relieve patient of chronic constipation by enema in the form of soapsuds or fleet enema - a bottled laxative delivered direct to the anus to facilitate bowel movement. Advice: Slow progression of symptoms is very common. Most are detected in their late stage. Preventions such as annual physical examination or routine colonoscopy have increased early detection. If found as a partial obstruction, complete resection without passing through the stage of colostomy (transfer of stool outlet into the left side of the abdomen) can be done. In late stage, permanent colostomy after resection is the only option to increase survival. Laboratory Exam recommended: a. Barium Enema b. Colonoscopy For more information, visit the site.
3 :
colon cancer is one of the deadliest kind of cancer if the symptomps exist like aching of stomach vomiting and the food you eat dosn't go straigth to your tummy you better go to doctor that specialize cancer to treat you better

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