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Cancer Information Tips :: Treatments for Colon Cancer
Treatments for Colon Cancer: Information For Colon Cancer Treatments
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Treatments for colon cancer are wholly dependent on the stage of cancer and location of tumors.
The body's digestive system is made up on the stomach, small and large intestines and the esophagus.
The colon is the first six feet of the large intestine. When malignant cells form in the colon's tissue, that is colon cancer.
Who is at Risk?
The risk for acquiring colon cancer increases after the age of 50. You are also at a greater risk if you have a family history of the disease (or any cancer) or a past history of polyps in the colon.
Diagnosing Colon Cancer Symptoms
Some symptoms which could hint at colon cancer generally involve changes in your bathroom habits and bowl movements.
Symptoms include blood in your stool, diarrhea or constipation, bloating, cramps and painful gas. You should always consult a doctor if you experience these symptoms.
A common way that doctors are able to diagnose a patient with colon cancer by administering a colonoscopy.
For colon cancer patients, there are a number of options for treatments depending on how advanced their cancer is, and the location of the tumor or tumors.
Surgery
A colectomy is a surgery that removes either part or all of the colon. It involves removing the diseased portions of the large intestine and then reconnecting it or creating a colostomy which allows waste to leave the body through the patient's abdomen.
A colostomy is actually the safest choice for a patient, because the stitches hold the reconnected bowel together can erode, leading to sepsis or death.
But it is both a physical and emotional burden to have a colostomy, so discussing options can be very difficult for a patient and doctor.
Chemotherapy & Radiation
Sometimes radiation and chemotherapy are also used to relieve symptoms of colon cancer.
Radiation treatments for colon cancer is not generally used in the early stages of the disease, but is used before surgery in cases when large tumors can be shrunk to make them easier to remove.
Chemotherapy treatments for colon cancer are sometimes used alongside radiation therapy post-surgery. The combination of these two treatments reduce the risk of a recurrence and destroy remaining diseased cells.
Both of these treatments for colon cancer have heavy duty side effects, including diarrhea, nausea, hair loss, fatigue and mouth sores.
There is also targeted drug therapy available to colon cancer victims. It is important to discuss all your options for treatments for colon cancer with a doctor to find out which one best suits you and your lifestyle.
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CancerInfoTips.com :: Treatments for Colon Cancer