Stage III colon cancer (also known as Stage 3 or Duke's C colon cancer) is cancer of the colon that has spread beyond the colon wall to nearby regional lymph nodes and tissues. Roughly half of patients diagnosed with stage III cancer will die within 5 years of diagnosis.
Types
Stage III colorectal adenomacarcinomas are classified into three groups: stage IIIA, IIIB and IIIC, according to the number of lymph nodes involved and whether the cancer has spread through the colon wall to the nearby tissues.
Effects
According to the American Cancer Society, the 5-year survival rate for patients diagnosed with Stage IIIA colon cancer is 83 percent. On the other hand, the 5-year survival rate for patients diagnosed with Stage IIIB and Stage IIIC colon cancers are 64 percent and 44 percent, respectively.
Treatment
Treatment for stage 3 colon cancer involves surgical removal of the primary tumor and all involved lymph nodes, which is followed by chemotherapy (and in some cases, radiation therapy).
Considerations
The survival of patients diagnosed with stage III colon cancer depends strongly on the number of lymph nodes involved. According to the American Cancer Society, patients with less than four positive lymph nodes have a higher survival probability than those with five positive lymph nodes or more.
Expert Insight
Meyerhardt et al. (2007) concluded that higher fat intake of a Western dietary pattern increases mortality rate among patients diagnosed with stage III colon cancer.
