The colon is an area in the digestive system where salts, minerals and water are absorbed into the body from the food you eat. The remains then get evacuated from the body in the form of feces. When colon cancer strikes, tumors or polyps develop and stop the natural process of the body absorbing nutrients and eliminating wastes. This is a very serious condition that can be treated several different ways.
Colonoscopy
A colonoscopy is a procedure where a long, flexible tool is inserted into the rectum to look for polyps or tumors. Polyps are clumps of tissue that form on the colon lining. When cancer is in early stages and it is small, this procedure can be used to remove them.
Laperoscopic
Laperoscopic surgery is performed on polyps that are a little larger. In this procedure, small incisions are made in the wall of the abdomen. Instruments that contain small cameras are inserted and the inside of your colon appears on a video screen. The doctor will also take samples of neighboring lymph nodes to make sure the cancer has not spread.
Surgical Options
Palliative surgery relieves any blockage when the cancer has become advanced. This procedure isn't intended to cure cancer, but it can help relieve other symptoms that take place as a result, such as pain and bleeding.
A colectomy is a type of surgery where the colon is partially or completely removed. When the removal includes the anus, rectum and part or all of the sigmoid colon, a colostomy is utilized. This is an opening in the stomach where waste materials can be removed.
Chemo
The intent of chemotherapy is a three-pronged approach. It is used to relieve the symptoms of colon cancer, controls the growth of tumors and destroys any cancer cells left behind after surgery. This treatment can be given orally in the form of a pill or it can be administered intravenously.
Radiation
Radiation therapy is a treatment that utilizes powerful sources of energy on the body, similar to X-rays. It relieves symptoms of colon cancer, kills any remaining cancer cells left behind from surgery or shrinks large tumors before an operation. This is often used in concert with chemotherapy and can cause side effects such as nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite and diarrhea.
Drugs
There are three drugs that can be used by themselves or in conjunction with chemotherapy drugs to prevent colon cancer cells from proliferating. They are called Avastin, Erbitux and Vectibix, and they are used when colon cancer is advanced.
