Colorectal Cancer
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Diagram of the Colon and Rectum |
Colon cancer and rectal cancer have many similar features
and are often referred to together as “Colorectal cancer.”
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in
Americans. Most of them form from the glands that produce
digestive juices in the colon and they are referred to as
adenocarcinomas. There are some other types of tumors
which occur but they are beyond the scope of this
discussion.
When food is eaten, it passes through
the stomach and into the small intestine where it is mixed
with digestive enzymes made in the liver and pancreas.
Most of the nutrients from our food are absorbed into the
blood stream through the walls of the small intestine.
Then, the residue passes into the large intestine or
colon. In the colon, water is removed and the waste
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matter is compacted into feces for
elimination from the body. The last part of the colon
is called the rectum. |
Each section of the bowel is composed of layers of
absorptive and muscular tissue. Colorectal cancers start
in the innermost layer and slowly invade through the bowel
wall. From there they can spread to nearby lymph nodes.
There, cancer cells multiply and eventually are spread by
the blood stream throughout the body.
Colorectal cancer is most often found in patients over the
age of 50 and is more common in patients with a family
history of colorectal cancer, or a personal history of
colon polyps. Patients with certain diseases of the colon
such as Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease are at
especially high risk. Early detection is important and all
adults should undergo colon cancer screening beginning at
age 50.
Once a colon cancer has been detected, scans are done to
determine the Stage of the disease—that is, how far the
cancer has spread. Successful treatment depends upon the
stage of the tumor. The three main type of treatment for
colorectal cancer are surgery, chemotherapy, and
radiation. Depending upon the stage, two or three of these
may be used together.
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Surgery is the main treatment for
tumors of all parts of the colon. If the tumor
is very small and low down in the colon, sometimes
it can be removed through a scope. However, most
of the time, surgery is done through an incision
in the belly. A piece of normal colon on either
side of the tumor is removed along with the cancer,
and the colon is reconnected if possible. Most
patients need a temporary colostomy while the
intestine heals, and, in some cases, a permanent
colostomy is needed.
Click
here to meet the Colorectal Cancer
Surgeons at our cancer care center in Tampa,
Florida.
Chemotherapy involves giving anticancer drugs
by mouth or into a vein where they can circulate
through the body in the blood stream. It can be
given before surgery to help shrink large tumors
and make them easier to operate upon. Or, chemotherapy
can be given after surgery in patients who have
a high risk of relapse. It is a very important
part of the treatment of patients whose cancers
have spread to involve the lymph nodes.
Click
here to meet the Medical Oncologists
at our cancer care center in Tampa, Florida.
Radiation is not often used for cancers which are high up
in the colon. However, for tumors in the rectum, radiation
is very important. Radiation therapy uses strong x-ray
beams to kill cancer cells. Generally, this is given daily
Monday through Friday for several weeks and must be
carefully planned to avoid excessive dose to normal pelvic
tissues. Radiation can be given prior to surgery to shrink
large cancers, or after surgery if the risk of recurrence
in the operative area is high. For selected patients with
small rectal cancers, occasionally a combination of
chemotherapy and radiation can be used in place of
surgery, thus sparing patients a colostomy. |
The treatment of colorectal cancer can severely affect
body image, especially if a permanent colostomy is
required. Be sure you discuss these cancer issues with
your physician as part of the decision making process.
Click
here to Meet our Colorectal
Cancer Surgeons
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