Colon Cancer Treatment

How Do You Treat Colon Cancer?

There are a number of ways to treat colon cancer. Each type generally depends on the stage the cancer has reached at the time of diagnosis. The three most common options include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.  

Surgery for colon cancer Surgery to remove part of the colon is the primary treatment for colorectal cancer. This procedure is known as a colectomy.

Several factors influence the amount of colon that needs to be removed: the location of the cancer, how far the cancer has penetrated the bowel wall, whether it has reached the lymph nodes or other areas of the body, and the success (or lack of success) of other therapies like radiation and chemotherapy.

Early stage colon cancer surgery If the cancer is in an very early stage, it may be possible to remove it completely during a colonoscopy.

Generally this is done if the cancer is localized in a small area and hasn't reached the base of the polyp (see the picture on the right) where it is attached to the bowel wall. In such cases, it's often possible to eliminate the cancer completely.

A larger polyp can sometimes be removed using laparoscopic surgery, which involves making several small incisions and probing the canbcerous area using a tube with a video camera attached. The surgeon may also take samples from the lymph nodes that drain the area where the cancer is located. A laparoscopic procedure requires less pain medication and makes it possible to leave the hospital sooner.
Also, patients who have this type of laparoscopic surgery usually have a lower chance of recurrence than those who choose open surgery.

Advanced colon cancer treatment using surgery In cases where colon cancer has reached an advanced stage, or the patients overall health is poor, it may be best to perform palliative surgery. Such surgery is designed to relieve a blockage of the colon. In such cases, the intent is to relieve signs and symptoms, such as bleeding and pain, but not to cure the cancer itself.

In some cases, the cancer may spread to a section of the liver. In such instances, the surgeon might also operate to remove the lesion that has grown there. Chemotherapy may be appropriate before or after such a procedure to improve the prognosis.

Colon cancer chemotherapy options Chemotherapy, which employs drugs to destroy cancer cells, can be used after surgery to control tumor growth or to relieve symptoms. Colon cancer chemotherapy options may be recommended if the cancer has spread beyond the wall of the colon. In some cases, radiation therapy may also be used.

Chemotherapy usually includes certain side effects such as hair loss, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, mouth sores, and fatigue. It's important to talk over all these things with a doctor in deciding on a course of treatment.

Colon cancer radiation therapy Radiation therapy, as mentioned above, is also a treatment option. Radiation therapy employs energy like X-rays to destroy any remaining cancer cells after surgery, or shrink large tumors before surgery so they can be eliminated more easily. Radiation can also be used to relieve colorectal cancer symptoms.

Radiation therapy is a routine part of treating early stage rectal cancer, especially in cases where the wall of the rectum has been penetrated by cancerous cells. It is often combined with chemotherapy after surgery to lower the possibility that the cancer may recur in the area of the rectum where it began.

Like chemotherapy, radiation trtiggers certain side effects, including diarrhea, rectal bleeding, fatigue, loss of appetite and nausea.

Radiation therapy is rarely used in the early stages of colon cancer, however.

Colon cancer treatment drugs Targeted drug therapy is also an advanced colon cancer treatment option.

There are three colon cancer treatment drugs that are typically used to treat patients in advanced cases.

Threse drugs target specific defects that allow cancer cells to proliferate are available to people with advanced colon cancer.

• bevacizumab (Avastin),
• cetuximab (Erbitux) and
• panitumumab (Vectibix)

These can be administered along with chemotherapy drugs or alone.

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