There are two main categories of treatments forcolon cancer.
Local treatments target one specific area, such as surgery or radiation.
Systemic, or body-wide, treatments have a much wider net and include chemotherapy or targeted biologic therapies.
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Early detection and treatment of colon cancer may improve your prognosis (treatment outcome) and quality of life.
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A laparoscopic procedure requires a much smaller incision than an open colectomy, so recovery is generally faster.
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Then, the two healthy ends of the bowel are reattached.
The surgeon’s goal will be for the patient to return to the most normal bowel function possible.
This means that the surgeon will take out as little of the colon as possible.
The pathologist will look for signs of cancer in the lymph tissue.
Lymph nodes conduct a fluid called lymph to cells in the body.
The removal of lymph nodes also reduces the risk of cancer reoccurring.
In these cases, acolostomymay be necessary.
The stoma is pink, like gum tissue, and does not feel pain.
An external bag worn on the abdomen is then necessary to collect waste.
The bag is emptied several times a day andchangedon a regular basis.
Rarely, a permanent colostomy is needed.
Preparation and Recovery
Every medical procedure carries risks and benefits.
This is accomplished through a completebowel preparation, similar to the one you may have had for your colonoscopy.
You will be required to stay in the hospital for at least a few days following bowel resection.
Depending on the surgery, drains may be placed.
These drains allow excess fluids, such as blood, to leave the abdomen.
The drains may be removed before discharge from the hospital.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy drugs travel throughout the body and kill cells that are dividing (growing or duplicating) rapidly.
The majority of people withstage 0orstage 1colon cancer will not require chemotherapy.
Most intravenous chemotherapy drugs are given in cycles, which are followed by a period of rest.
They only kill cells covered in these factors and have the potential for fewer side effects than chemotherapy agents.
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as Fruzaqla (fruquintinib) and Stivarga (regorafenib), are administered orally.
All treatments present a risk of side effects.
The benefits of your treatment should outweigh the risks.
Your healthcare provider will work with you closely and tailor your treatment program to your needs.
Other potential side effects include headache, fatigue, fever, and diarrhea.
The purpose of immunotherapy is to use a person’s own immune system to attack the cancer.
Non-surgical procedures may also be used to destroy or shrink metastatic lesions.
Incolon cancer, palliative treatment can help you cope physically, emotionally, and spiritually during your fight.
This will help prevent any unwanted side effects or interactions.
In one study, the median survival time for patients with colon cancer who receivedpalliative careonly was 24 months.
Adjuvant treatment for colon cancer is chemotherapy used to enhance the effectiveness of primary treatment, such as surgery.
Adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer can decrease the chance cancer will come back by about a third.
Research has found colon cancer often metastasizes earlysometimes before the original tumor is diagnosed.
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