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COLON CANCER
STAGES
Stage 0/Carcinoma in situ : Very early stage. Cancer is
found only in the innermost lining of the colon.
Stage I (Dukes A colon cancer): Cancer has spread into the
second and third layers of the colon. It has not spread to the outer
wall or beyond the colon.
Stage II (Dukes B colon cancer): Cancer has spread outside
the colon into nearby tissue. It has not reached the lymph nodes.
Stage III (Dukes C colon cancer): Cancer has spread to nearby
lymph nodes, but not to other parts of the body.
Stage IV (Dukes D colon cancer): Cancer has spread to other
parts of the body.
Recurrent: The cancer has come back after it has been treated.
It may reappear in the colon, but is often found in the liver and/or
lungs.
PREVENTION
As with all cancers, there is no sure way to prevent it, although
most colon cancer risk factors are controllable. Maintaining a high-fiber,
low fat diet including plenty of fruits and vegetables reduces the
risk. Adequate calcium intake may decrease the chances of colon
cancer. Exercise should also be implemented, even small amounts.
Abstaining from smoking and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption
will also diminish risk factors. Taking daily doses of aspirin may
reduce polyps and colon cancer risks.
TREATMENT
Surgery: Surgery is the primary treatment for colon cancer.
The cancer and portions of the normal tissue around the cancer are
removed. The colon is sewn back together. Close monitoring and follow
up visits to your doctor are extremely critical after surgery since
the recurrence of this cancer is high. Some follow up treatment
is also necessary at times and consists of the following:
Adjuvant Therapy: Drug treatment used to kill microscopic
amounts of residual tumor cells.
Chemotherapy: Drugs are administered orally or intravenously to
kill cancer cells. Used to eliminate any cancer cells that have
been missed by surgery and to prevent recurrence.
Radiation Therapy: High dose x-rays are used to kill cancer
cells. One type of radiation therapy is similar to the type of x-ray
used to locate broken bones. Another type requires that a radioactive
implant be surgically placed near the cancer area.
At times both chemotherapy and radiation treatment may be combined
to help prevent recurrence.
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