Treatments for Colon Cancer

Treatments for colon cancer are varied and depend on the stage and development of the cancer. Colon cancer is a malignant disease that has caused thousands of death year after year. To further understand what colon cancer is about, you must also have a significant knowledge about the colon. The colon is the area from the small intestine going to the large intestine. When a tumor develops anywhere near the rectum or inside the colon, it usually grows into cancer.

Tumors usually develop slowly and it takes years before it becomes cancer. This is the reason why there are only very vague early symptoms of colon cancer and those who are diagnosed with this disease are already in its advanced stages when the cancer is confirmed. Also, symptoms depend according to where the tumor is located. In fact, those who have tumors have not experienced any colon cancer symptom.

Treatments for Colon Cancer: Methods

Treatments for colon cancer include chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, vaccine therapy, and immunotherapy. Some cases require the combination of either of these therapies. In many cases, the cutting out of the tissue that is affected is what is most common. However, this depends on the malignancy of the tumor, the location, the age of the patient and many other factors. This article will further discuss the different treatments for colon cancer.

1. Radiation Therapy

One of the important treatments for colon cancer is radiation therapy. Radiation therapy is a painless procedure that is undergone by colon cancer or rectal cancer patients. This is also known as radiotherapy. The procedure is done by killing cancer cells through the use of radiation. Before a surgery is done, a patient undergoes radiation therapy first in order to shrink the tumor for it to be easily removed. There are two types of radiation therapy which is administered by the attending physician on a case to case basis. They can be administered singly or used together, depending on several factors.

• External Radiation Therapy— This type of therapy is also known as external beam radiation, which is administered through a normal x-ray. although the machines that are used are more advanced, such as cobalt machines, linear accelerators and orthovoltage accelerators. The machines deliver powerful treatments with highly pinpointed accuracy.

• Internal Radiation Therapy— This therapy is also called the implant therapy or the brachytherapy. This is done through implants of radioactive substances such as iridium, cesium and iodine into the areas where the cancer cells are located. A plastic tube, wire, capsule or seed is used to implant the radioactive material near or even inside the tumor. This can be permanent or temporary. The implants can be done orally, implanted directly into the cancerous area. This can be done in a hospital or through outpatient basis.

2. Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is done by using very strong anti cancer medications in order to kill cancer cells. It is used to slow down the growth of the tumor, prevent the cancer cells from reaching other parts of the body, and shrink the size of the tumor. It can be used before a surgery to shrink the tumor and after a surgery as post-op therapy.

3. Surgery

A major method of treatment for colon cancer is surgery. Surgery is usually the last option when all other methods fail. Surgery can be used if the tumor is localized only to one area. The extent of the surgery depends on the extent of the growth and spread of the malignant tumor.

A patient can opt to do things in order to lessen the fatigue or discomfort that the procedures can cause them. It is important that a patient is able to get plenty of rest. Healthy foods and good nutrition is imperative to keep up with possible loss of weight and to regain strength. Choice of clothes should be well done—use loose clothes over treated areas in order to prevent irritation to the skin.

You should remember that the treatments for colon cancer can differ according to the stage of the cancer. For the four stages of colon cancer (with the exception of stage 4), surgery is the most common initial treatment. For some cancers, additional treatments such as the adjuvant therapy may be needed. Treatments are made on a case to case basis. Recurrences (or when a cancer occurs again after treatment) are removed through surgeries. This can be dangerous especially when a patient has undergone a previous surgery and may increase the risk of death or other complications.