Cancer that has spread from the colon to the lymph nodes on to other parts of the body is diagnosed as stage 4 colon cancer. Even at this advanced stage, many treatments are available to stop or slow the growth of tumors. Some of these treatments may be more advisable than others depending on the site of the cancer and how the cells are behaving. Patients should discuss the risks and benefits of all options with their consultant physician before deciding on a course of treatment.
When cancer of the colon is diagnosed at an advanced stage, surgery is often necessary. In a surgical resection, or colectomy, a surgeon removes the cancerous part of the colon. The remaining healthy colon sections are joined together and can function normally after healing. If an entire tumor cannot be removed without harming organs, as much of it as possible is cut out in a procedure known as debulking. This lessens pain and can increase the effectiveness of other therapies.
Chemotherapy can be used to treat some stage 4 cases depending on how the tumor is attached and where the cancer has spread. Chemotherapy acts by destroying rapidly dividing cells. It will mainly affect cancer cells, but also harms certain normal healthy cells such as those in the hair follicles, digestive tract and bone marrow. Many of the side effects of chemotherapy can be controlled with medication.
Radiation therapy is sometimes used to treat advanced cancer of the colon in conjunction with surgery or chemotherapy. It kills off cancer cells with high energy rays or particles. There is a risk that adjacent healthy cells could also be destroyed, so radiation is seldom used to treat cancer that has spread to a vital organ.
Monoclonal antibody therapy is a promising new drug treatment that avoids many of complications associated with chemotherapy. Monoclonal antibodies block the growth signal receptors on the surface of cancer cells to stop them from growing and spreading. Side effects are similar to the symptoms of an allergic reaction.
Anti-angiogenesis therapy is one of the latest advances in cancer treatment. Rather than attacking cancer cells directly, anti-angiogenesis drugs target the blood vessels in a tumor and stop them from growing. Large tumors may shrink as their blood supply become limited. These drugs have been shown to increase the lifespan of colon cancer patients when used with traditional chemotherapy.
At the present time, cancer of the colon is not curable in most people once it has reached its final stage, but a growing percentage of stage 4 colon cancer patients survive for at least five years after being diagnosed. Life expectancy depends on the behavior and spread of the cancer cells, the location of the tumor and the effectiveness of treatments used to combat the cancer. Some patients far outlive their original prognosis.
When cancer of the colon is diagnosed at an advanced stage, surgery is often necessary. In a surgical resection, or colectomy, a surgeon removes the cancerous part of the colon. The remaining healthy colon sections are joined together and can function normally after healing. If an entire tumor cannot be removed without harming organs, as much of it as possible is cut out in a procedure known as debulking. This lessens pain and can increase the effectiveness of other therapies.
Chemotherapy can be used to treat some stage 4 cases depending on how the tumor is attached and where the cancer has spread. Chemotherapy acts by destroying rapidly dividing cells. It will mainly affect cancer cells, but also harms certain normal healthy cells such as those in the hair follicles, digestive tract and bone marrow. Many of the side effects of chemotherapy can be controlled with medication.
Radiation therapy is sometimes used to treat advanced cancer of the colon in conjunction with surgery or chemotherapy. It kills off cancer cells with high energy rays or particles. There is a risk that adjacent healthy cells could also be destroyed, so radiation is seldom used to treat cancer that has spread to a vital organ.
Monoclonal antibody therapy is a promising new drug treatment that avoids many of complications associated with chemotherapy. Monoclonal antibodies block the growth signal receptors on the surface of cancer cells to stop them from growing and spreading. Side effects are similar to the symptoms of an allergic reaction.
Anti-angiogenesis therapy is one of the latest advances in cancer treatment. Rather than attacking cancer cells directly, anti-angiogenesis drugs target the blood vessels in a tumor and stop them from growing. Large tumors may shrink as their blood supply become limited. These drugs have been shown to increase the lifespan of colon cancer patients when used with traditional chemotherapy.
At the present time, cancer of the colon is not curable in most people once it has reached its final stage, but a growing percentage of stage 4 colon cancer patients survive for at least five years after being diagnosed. Life expectancy depends on the behavior and spread of the cancer cells, the location of the tumor and the effectiveness of treatments used to combat the cancer. Some patients far outlive their original prognosis.
About the Author:
Find out more about diagnosing stage 4 colon cancer at www.HealthHints.org. Stop by Shawn Onseo's website to see more health hints on cancer, weight loss, stop smoking and more.
No comments:
Post a Comment