Colon Cancer Treatment

 

In the United States, colon cancer is the very common form of the cancer, both in men and women. It occurs in the large intestine that is colon and the rectum that is the end of the colon. Colon cancer is a serious disease and it occurs when the cancerous cells are originated in the in the tissues of the colon. There are no early signs of this disease. Colon cancer can be occurring among people with age of over 50. Also, it found in early teen age. According to study the top most reason for colon cancer is the food with lack of fiber and high calorie diet. That means, we can prevent colon cancer by taking fiber food and low fat food.

There are many treatments like radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy to fight colon cancer. Colon cancer cells are removed by surgery. This is used for the metastatic colon cancer where the tumors have been spread to other area. We can prevent future complications like bleeding and blockage of the bowel. Intra-arterial chemotherapy includes high doses of the chemotherapy drugs, which directly recurrent the tumors. Fractionated-dose chemotherapy treatment is on the basis of smaller doses of drug given over longer periods of time instead of large dose. It also helps to reduce the side effects like vomiting and nausea.

Detection of colon cancer
If you have colon cancer, you must have to undergo a physical exam and provide your physical condition to your physician. Physician may detect the colon cancer by asking questions about symptoms, which you are experiencing. There are some tests to detect colon cancer like, digital rectal exam (DRE), complete blood count (CBC), fecal occult blood test (FOBT), sigmoidoscopy, carcinoembryyonic antigen (CEA) or PET scan, CT scan, colonoscopy, double contrast barium enema and some physical exam. These tests help to the physician, to detect the colon cancer.

Treatments

  1. Colon cancer treatment
    There are three types of treatment including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy and these are common forms of treatments. Colon cancer surgery is the oldest form of cancer treatment and plays an important role in treatment of this disease. Doctors try to give the most appropriate colon cancer treatment for you. Treatment of chemotherapy depends on the age factor, type, health state and stage of your cancer. Following are some types of colon cancer surgery:

    1. Proctectomy: This therapy involves a surgical excision or removal of cancerous portion an inpatient procedure and it is impatient procedure, in which, low anterior resection and abdominoperineal resection are the forms of proctectomy. In low resection (ILR), removal of cancer located in the upper part of rectum takes place. This is close to S- shaped sigmoid colon. When the cancerous portion of the upper part of rectum is removed, the sigmoid colon is then connected with the healthy tissues, which are in lower part of rectum. In abdominoperineal resection (APR), the cancers located in the lower part of the rectum is removed. The cancerous portion of the lower rectum, near anus or other sphincter muscles, are removed in APR surgery. Sphincter muscles are located above the closer of the anus, which is responsible for the bowel control. There is creation of another way to the excretion of waste, after the removal of sphincter muscles. The procedure, used for this is called a colostomy.
    2. Colectomy: There are three nodes due to the stage of cancer, including laparoscopic colectomy, colostomy and complimantary medicine therapies. Laparoscopic colectomy is option for the colon cancer patient. In this surgery, a small incision above the belly or small keyhole incisions around the abdominal cavity are made. These tiny incisions provide the access points for the laparoscope and other surgical instruments. In colostomy, there may be permanent or temporary colostomy depending on the extent of colectomy surgery. It needs when the healthy portions of the colon are not connected. There may be creation of artificial opening to eliminate waste, because the segment of colon gets attached to the skin during surgical procedure.
    3. Radiofrequency ablation: The power of micro wave technology is used to destroy metastatic colorectal cancer cells. These cells spread to other parts of the body. This treatment help to melt away cancerous liver tumors without any discomfort or risk. Radiofrequency with ultra sound guidance are send to liver tumors, in which heated radiofrequency waves help to destroy cancerous cells.
  2. Colon cancer chemotherapy

    chemotherapy is effective treatment, in which drugs are used that eliminates the cancer cells by impeding growth and reproduction of cancerous cells. However, this treatment is having some side effects. There are two methods such as fractionated dose chemotherapy and chemotherapy resistance testing. Fractioned chemotherapy dose depends on the size of tumor, stage and type of colorectal. Drugs are given in smaller doses over a period of several days or sometimes one large single dose. Chemotherapy resistance tests, in which, test of tumor sample against a panel of anti cancer drugs is held. Growth of tumor cells in presence of extreme exposure of chemotherapy drug indicates the presence of that significant drug resistance. It helps physician to understand the effective drug treating tumor. However, sometimes this test enables to doctor to select the appropriate drug for your colorectal chemotherapy cancer treatment.

  3. Colon Cancer radiation therapy

    It may be used alone or in combination such as surgery and chemotherapy. Now there is advancement in radiation therapy, which helps to reduce side effects and gives effective treatment. Following are some treatments of colon cancer radiation therapy:

    1. Thera-sphere: Compared to chemotherapy and radiation treatment, it is less toxic treatment option. The tiny glass beds or microspheres are used to deliver radiation to tumors in the liver. Microspheres get trapped in the blood vessels in liver which feeds the tumor. In which the radiation is concentrated to metastatic colorectal cancer tumor and avoids sparing surrounding of healthy tissue.
    2. Tomo Therapy: This treatment is useful for those patients who had got suffered by cancer again. In this treatment combination of advance power of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy with an onboard CT scanner is used. It helps to avoid damage of surrounding of healthy tissue.
    3. HDR Brachytherapy: HDR means High Dose Rate, and used to target radiation directly to colorectal cancer tumors. It reduces damage to surrounding colon and rectal tissue and also helps reduce time period of treatment. A catheter is implanted into the colorectal cancer tumors to deliver HDR Brachytherapy. After this a thin plastic tube is used to deliver a powerful dose of radiation to the tumor. HDR Brachytherapy is mostly used to give extra boost of radiation to colorectal cancer tumor.
    4. Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT): It is an option for the colorectal cancer tumor and it allows our doctors to place radioactive materials directly into the tumor site. In comparison to standard radiation therapy, IMRT spares more of the surrounding healthy tissues. IMRT helps to reduce common radiation side effects.
  4. Innovative or new therapies
    These therapies are not found in every hospital because of lack of expertise, expense and experience in colon cancer treatment.
  5. Omplementary therapies
    These therapies are in conjunction with conventional colon cancer treatments, which helps to reduce side effects and improve the overall quality of life.