Colon cancer is cancer of the large intestine (colon), the lower
part of your digestive system. Rectal cancer is cancer of the last several
inches of the colon. Together, they're often referred to as colorectal cancers.
Most cases of colon cancer begin as small, noncancerous (benign) clumps of
cells called adenomatous polyps. Over time some of these polyps become colon
cancers.
These are the third most commonly diagnosed cancers in world. They
start as a small proliferated, ulcerated lesions or thickenings from the inner
most layers of bowel lining. Left untreated they grow in size, extend through the
wall to adjacent organs, involve nearby lymph nodes and at latter stages
involve the liver and other distant organs, through blood stream, manifesting
as different stages of disease progression.
Many cases of colon cancer have no symptoms. The following
symptoms, however, may indicate colon cancer:
·
Pain and tenderness in lower abdomen
·
Passing of Blood in the stool
·
Constipation, Diarrhea or other changes in bowel habits like
narrow stools.
·
Abrupt Weight loss
How is for Colon Cancer diagnosed?
·
Colonoscopy: An endoscope is inserted into the rectum and advanced
through the colon, through this the doctor can examine the entire colon.
·
Diagnosis is confirmed with a colon biopsy - Stage of disease is confirmed by pathologists
and imaging tests, such as computerized tomography (CT or CAT) scans.
·
Endoscopic ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may also be used to
stage rectal cancer
·
Sigmoidoscopy: In this an endoscope is interested in the rectum and moved
through the left side of the colon. It cannot be used to view the middle and
right sides of the colon.
·
Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) along with Complete blood count (CBC to check for
anemia and CT , MRI or PET scans of the abdomen, pelvic area.
Stages of Colon Cancer
The staging of colon cancer helps doctors determine a course of
treatment. Staging is done on a scale from 0 to 4, with the higher stages
indicating a cancer than has spread more throughout the body.
·
Stage 0: In this stage, the cancer hasn’t grown beyond the inner
layer of the colon or rectum.
·
Stage I: The cancer has spread through the colon’s inner lining, but
hasn’t spread beyond the colon wall or rectum.
·
Stage II: The cancer has grown through the colon or rectal wall, but
hasn’t spread to nearby lymph nodes.
·
Stage III: The cancer has invaded nearby lymph nodes but isn’t
affecting other parts of the body.
·
Stage IV: The cancer has metastasized throughout the body to sites
such as the liver, lung, ovaries or the lining of the abdominal cavity.
Surgery to treat colon cancer
Surgery is the cornerstone of treatment
for colon cancer. You may need to
have the entire colon removed or only part of your colon.
· How much of your colon has to be
removed depends on the location and particular characteristics of your tumour.
Sometimes only a polyp is cancerous, and removal of the polyp may be all that
is necessary.
·
Surgery may also be done to relieve
symptoms when the cancer has caused a bowel obstruction. The
usual procedure is bypass for obstructions that cannot be cured.
Rather than making long incisions
common in traditional "open" surgery, laparoscopic surgery requires
only small incisions to perform the operation.
What is laparoscopic surgery?
The word "laparoscopy" means
to look inside the abdominal cavity with a special camera or scope.
To perform laparoscopy, three or four small (five-10mm) incisions are made in
the abdomen. The laparoscope and surgical instruments are inserted through
these small incisions. The surgeon is then guided by the laparoscope, which
transmits a picture of the intestinal organs on a video monitor.
The benefit of using this surgical
approach is that you are less likely to experience pain and
scarring after surgery, a more rapid recovery and less risk of infection.
Colon surgeons have used laparoscopy to
treat the following conditions:
·
Crohn's disease
·
Certain bowel cancers
·
Diverticulitis
·
Familial polyposis
·
Faecal incontinence
·
Rectal prolapse
· 
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