The colon is part of the body's digestive system. Together with the rectum, it forms the large intestine. The colon comprises the upper six feet of the large intestine, while the rectum constitutes the last 8 to 10 inches. At times, cells in the colon may multiply uncontrollably, resulting in the formation of precancerous polyps in the intestinal walls. This is how cancer of the colon begins. Does this Spark an idea?
Facts About Colon Cancer
Colon cancer has five stages: stage 0, stage 1, stage 2, stage 3 and stage 4. Stage 0 is the easiest to treat, while stage 4 is the most chronic and advanced of all stages. When a patient is diagnosed with type 4 colon cancer, which is also called Dukes D colon cancer, this means that the cancer has already spread towards the nearby lymph nodes and other parts of the body. Often the body parts that are affected by complications are the liver, the bones and the lungs.
Symptoms of Colon Cancer
Usually, no symptoms can be seen when the cancer is at its early stages. Oftentimes, signs of the cancer only start to appear when the problem has reached the advanced stage, such as type 4, when the cancer is causing obstruction of the bowels. Common symptoms include persistent pain in the abdomen, hematochezia--or "bloody stool"--that is characterized by black or tarry stools, bleeding in the rectum with bright red blood, extreme changes in the bowel movement (including worsening cases of constipation or recurrent diarrhea), unexplained loss of weight, lethargy or constant feeling of weakness or fatigue and anemia. In some instances, nausea and vomiting, as well as a bloated stomach, may also be signs of colon cancer.
Diagnosing Colon Cancer
The symptoms alone cannot prove the presence of cancer in the colon. Several tests may be performed by the physician to determine whether cancer is indeed present. Some of these tests include colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, barium X-ray and fecal occult blood test. Once colon cancer has been diagnosed, staging may then be performed to determine whether cancer cells have spread within the colon or to other parts of the body. The result of the staging process will help tell the stage of the cancer. This is important in order to provide the right treatment for the disease. Tests that are often used in the staging process include CT scan, complete blood count, chest X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), lymph node biopsy, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) assay and surgery.
Treatment for Type 4 Colon Cancer
Surgical resection is often used in the treatment of type 4 colon cancer. This is the process by which doctors or surgeons remove the section of the colon that is affected by the cancer. The remaining healthy sections are then joined together to form a long, healthy piece. Apart from this, chemotherapy and radiation may also be used. Some drugs may be given to the patient in conjunction with chemotherapy. These drugs include Oxaliplatin, Irinotecan, 5-fluorouracil and/or Capecitabine.
Survival Rate for Patients With Type 4 Colon Cancer
In most cases, particularly when detected early, colon cancer is curable. According to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the overall survival rates for colon cancer patients in the U.S. are as follows: 93% for those with type 1; 85% for those with type 2A; 72% for those with type 2B; and 83%, 64%, and 44% for those patients with type 3A, 3B and 3C, respectively. Patients with type 4 colon cancer have a low survival rate of only 8%.
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