Colon cancer begins in the large intestines. It usually affects older adults, but it can happen at any age. It starts as small benign clumps of cells known as polyps. These polyps can become cancer with time. They can be small and produce symptoms. This is why the doctors recommend regular screening to prevent colon cancer. Dr. Bharat Pothuri is well experienced and dedicated to helping patients get an early diagnosis and administering colon cancer treatment.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the stage and type of colon cancer. The doctor takes the overall health status, age, and other individual characteristics when deciding on the best treatment. The main aim of treatment is to eliminate cancer, prevent spreading, and reduce uncomfortable symptoms.
- Surgery
During surgery, the surgeon removes the part affected by cancer and some of the surrounding area. For example, they remove nearby lymph nodes to stop the risk of spreading. The surgeon re-attaches the healthy portion to create a stoma, depending on the extent of cancer. A stoma is an opening where waste passes into a bag that removes the lower part of the colon’s need.
- Chemotherapy
During chemotherapy, the doctors administer medications that interfere with your cell division process. This happens by disrupting DNA or proteins to damage and kill all cancer cells. These treatments target any dividing cells, including the healthy ones. These cells can recover from chemotherapy administered but cancer cells cannot.
An oncologist usually recommends chemotherapy to treat spreading colon cancer. The medicine travels through the body, and treatment takes place in cycles, and the body has adequate time to heal before the next dose. Some side effects of chemotherapy include nausea, hair loss, vomiting, and fatigue.
- Radiation therapy
This procedure kills cancer cells by focusing gamma rays on them. The oncologist can use external radiation therapy that expels rays from a machine outside the body. Internal radiation is where the doctor implants radioactive materials near the cancer area in the form of a seed.
Metals like radium emit gamma rays. Radiation can also come from X-rays. A doctor can request radiation to destroy cancer cells or shrink a tumor. It can be effective along with other treatments. For colon cancer, radiation treatments are administered at the later stages. They can use it if the early stage has penetrated the rectum walls or spread to nearby lymph nodes.
Causes
Mainly colon cancer can be caused by noncancerous tumors called polyps. They form on the inner walls of the large intestines. These cancer cells can grow and attack healthy tissues nearby and throughout the whole body in a process called metastasis. The result is a less treatable severe condition.
Colon cancer is treatable if caught early. Most people can live for at least five years after diagnosis if the cancer is detected early. If cancer does not return, there is a low chance of occurring again, primarily if you had early-stage disease. To prevent severe symptoms, call or book an appointment with GastroDoxs defenders of the digestive system for regular screening and treatment.
