Overview
Colon cancer, also known as Colorectal cancer, is the development of unwanted lumps/polyps in the large intestine. These growths do not showcase symptoms at the very beginning, or at least without a thorough diagnosis. Expert oncologists recommend that if a patient is experiencing continuous changes in their bowel movements, they should see a doctor. If the doctors identify the tumors in the screening, the next logical step is to remove these precancerous polyps with the help of suitable treatment.
What is Colon Cancer
The large intestine (also known as the colon) is located at the end of the digestive tract. The disease begins in the intestine area. There are different parts of the colon where this tumor growth may start (such as the rectum or other parts), but the broad term used covering these all is generally colon cancer.
How does Colon Cancer affect people?
The colon wall is constructed of layers of mucous membrane, tissues, and muscle. The cancer begins in the innermost lining of the colon, which is the mucosa. As the disease affects the cells, they begin to mutate and start forming lumps. These polyps may take about 10 years to become cancerous. If the cancer is not detected in time, it gradually makes its way through the rest of the layers (tissue, muscle, and the outer layer). The disease may also spread further to different parts of the body through lymph nodes or blood vessels.
What are the symptoms of Colon Cancer?
In many cases, the patients may not experience any noticeable symptoms and still have colon cancer growing in their body. In certain cases, the symptoms are mild and not alarming enough to be considered as cancerous. Most of the colon cancer symptoms are very common to the routine bowel/stomach health conditions, which are taken less seriously. We have put together the list of common symptoms of Colorectal cancer:
- Frequent changes in bowel habits: If your bowel habits are inconsistent, and even after defecation, you keep feeling the urge to pass stool, it requires attention.
- Blood in/on stool: If you notice blood in your stool or visible change (towards the darker shade) in the color of your stool, it is time to see a doctor and get guidance.
- Abdominal pain or cramps: If you are experiencing pain in your abdomen area without any specific reason and it persists, it is suggested to see a doctor.
- Abdominal bloating: If you experience an unusual type of bloating in your stomach that lasts for more than a week, consult with medical care experts.
- Diarrhea or constipation: Changes in stool consistency may be due to normal stomach infections or disturbed eating habits. However, if this is a frequent problem you face, it is suggested to consult with a medical care expert.
- Vomiting: If you experience frequent vomiting and discomfort in digesting normal food, it’s time to get in touch with healthcare experts.
- Rapid weight fluctuation: If you are not intentionally trying to lose weight, but there’s a rapid weight loss, it could be a sign of colon cancer.
- Unexplainable fatigue: If you feel persistently tired and have shortness of breath or serious symptoms of anemia, it is recommended to get tested further.
What are the causes of Colon Cancer?
Colon cancer develops when the cells do not follow the natural cycle of growing, dividing, and dying. Due to any disruption, these cells begin to function uncontrollably. As a result, the healthy process is interrupted, and the disease is born in the colon. Researchers are not sure of the specific reason that causes this disruption in the cell lifecycle. However, they have listed a few key reasons that contribute to it:
- Sometimes, changes in the DNA of cells and genetic (inherited) conditions.
- A disturbed lifestyle may also lead to the disruption of cell lifestyle, causing cancerous polyps in the colon.
- Consumption of a highly imbalanced diet (excessive red meat, high calorie/high fat foods) increases the risk of colon cancer.
- Lack of movement and physical activity also leads to cancerous formations in your body.
- Smoking or excessive alcohol use may lead to the development of colon cancer.
- Some medical conditions such as chronic bowel disease, long-lasting infection, or family history of polyps can also contribute to the growth of cancerous polyps.
Diagnosis of Colon Cancer
Several types of tests are conducted to diagnose the presence of colon cancer in the human body. We’ve listed the key methods below:
- Colonoscopy: This test is conducted to check the presence of cancerous polyps in the colon area.
- Fecal immunochemical test (FIT): This is used to detect the presence of blood in human stool.
- Guaiac-based fecal occult blood test (gFOBT): Similar to FIT, this also is used to identify blood in stool but mainly focuses on the blood which is invisible.
- Fecal DNA test: This test is focused at checking the genetic mutations present.
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy: This is used to see into the lower side of the colon to identity the presence of the disease.
Stages of Colon Cancer
Understanding the Stages of Colon Cancer is very significant to get the right treatment for the disease. The earlier the cancer is detected, the higher the chances of healing and fixing it effectively. The oncology experts and researchers have divided the disease into the following stages:
- Stage 0: It is the earliest stage, where the cancer is only present in the innermost layer of the colon.
- Stage 1: At this stage, the disease has grown to the second layer of the tissue.
- Stage 2: This stage indicates that the malignancy has reached the outer layer of the colon but hasn’t spread beyond that. This is further divided into sub-stages, shared below:
- Stage 2A: The cancer has spread in the most of the colon area but hasn’t reached the surface of the top layer yet.
- Stage 2B: The disease has reached the top of the layer.
- Stage 3B: The disease has started spreading beyond the colon’s outer layer to the other organs.
- Stage 3: This stage indicates that the cancer has reached the lymph nodes. There are three sub-stages to this:
- Stage 3A: The disease is present in the first and second layer of the colon wall but has spread to 1-4 lymph nodes.
- Stage 3B: Cancer has affected fewer colon walls but has spread to more than 4 lymph nodes. Or the cancer has affected more layers of the colon but affected 1-3 lymph nodes.
- Stage 3C: Along layers of colon and lymph nodes, the cancer has also spread to the nearby organs.
- Stage 4: At this stage, cancer has metasized and reached the distant organs of your body, such as the liver, ovaries, etc.
- Stage 4A: The disease has reached beyond the colon and lymph nodes and affected one distant organ.
- Stage 4B: The disease has affected more than one distant organ.
- Stage 4C: The cancer has severely affected distant organs and abdominal tissues.
Treatment of Colon Cancer
Once the diagnosis is complete and the stage of the disease is determined, the oncologists will prepare the treatment plan. The treatment plan is made based on several factors such as the age of the patient, existing health conditions, any specific complications, and the stage of the disease. There are the following types of treatments available to treat colon cancer. The oncologists use any of these or a combination of these for an effective treatment from a to case basis.
- Surgery: Surgery is considered the most common treatment for colon cancer. Polypectomy is the surgery used for removing cancerous polyps. Partial colectomy is the surgery where the part of a patient’s colon that contains the tumor is removed. In surgical resection with colostomy, the section of the colon where the tumor is present is removed. Then, a colostomy is performed to an opening on the abdominal wall because connection of the remaining colon is not possible.
- Chemotherapy: This therapy is used to shrink the tumors and minimize the symptoms.
- Targeted Therapy: This therapy is used to target and neutralise the genes, proteins, and tissues that help the growth and multiplication of the malignant cells.
- Immunotherapy: This therapy is suitable for the early stage, where immune checkpoint inhibitor drugs are used to prevent the immune system from attacking at the healthy cells.
How to Prevent Colon Cancer
- Avoid the consumption of tobacco. Seek help from groups and programs designed to help people quit smoking.
- Avoid drinking alcohol or moderate your drinking patterns.
- Follow a balanced and healthy diet. Include rich fiber and minerals in your diet.
- Maintain a balanced and healthy weight.
- Avoid meals that are excessive in fat, red meat, and saturated fat.
- Keep track of your and your family’s medical history.
- Do not ignore lasting symptoms of bowel health. Know when to consult the doctors and get your routine health checkups done.
Why Choose Cancerrounds?
CancerRounds offers medical tourism assistance to patients from all over the world. If you are looking for Colon Cancer Treatment in India, our experts can help you navigate through the medical support process. We offer assistance in selecting the right hospital, connect you with the doctors, and provide cost estimation for the treatment. Our services include:
- Cancer treatment consultation
- Financial assistance
- Assistance with cost-estimation
- Suggesting the best oncologists
- Visa and travel assistance
- Accommodation services
Conclusion
Colon cancer is a painful experience, and being diagnosed with it could be devastating. However, with the presence of advanced medical technology and cancer support, the healing path looks promising. Oncologists recommend timely diagnosis and following the suggested treatment plan. Effective treatment and suitable post-treatment care are crucial for a healthy recovery. It is recommended to follow a healthy lifestyle and rise above the chances of catching this disease.
