Colon cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related death among US men and women combined, the American Cancer Society (ACS) says.
But there is still much reason for hope. Colon cancer death rates among older adults in the United States have been falling steadily over several decades. Increased use of colorectal screenings, during which pre-cancerous growths (“polyps”) are identified and removed before they turn dangerous, has prevented numerous cases of colorectal cancer and saved many lives, according to the ACS. Advances in colon cancer treatment have also helped more patients overcome colorectal cancer and have prolonged survival.
If you’ve been diagnosed with colon cancer, many factors can influence your outcome. Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) has 90+ oncology specialists who are expert in treating colon cancer and can optimize treatment based on each patient’s individual factors. Let’s take a closer look at these factors, and how RCCA oncologists consider them in determining the most effective treatment plan for each patient.
Colon cancer develops in the inner lining of the colon. The colon wall consists of layers of muscles and tissues. Colon cancer most commonly arises in the mucosa, the innermost layer.
The colon is susceptible to polyps, growths that may appear anywhere along the inner lining. The mucosa contains many cells that create mucus and other substances. When changes occur in these substances, polyps can form anywhere along the inner lining. While colonic polyps can be non-cancerous, many can become cancerous over time if they’re not removed.
Some non-cancerous polyps can quickly become cancerous after they develop, while others take as long as 10 years to become cancerous. Either way, having a polyp detected and removed can dramatically decrease your colon cancer risk.
Colon cancer incidence is somewhat higher among men than women, but both sexes are susceptible to developing the disease, the American Cancer Society says. And while colon cancer is more prevalent among people aged 50 years and older, the disease has become more common in younger adults.
Colon cancer can cause a variety of symptoms, including:
The colon is a component of the gastrointestinal tract and is essential for food digestion. The organ is the last stop before waste enters the rectum, where it leaves the body through defecation, the medical term for a bowel movement. The colon is responsible for removing water and moisture from waste, which turns the waste into solid stool. The colon contains bacteria that eat away at waste, breaking it down so it is easy to release. This process also creates vitamins that the mucosa can absorb. The colon also removes electrolytes and other substances that are important for normal body functions.
The colon is made up of four sections. These sections complete different digestive processes as waste moves through the large intestine. The four sections are the:
Colon cancer outcomes depend on several factors, as outlined below.
Cancer stage, based on whether or how far the cancer has spread, is one of the more critical factors. There are five main stages of colon cancer:
Localized colon cancers carry a 5-year relative survival rate of 91 percent, the American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute report. This “relative survival rate” means that roughly 9 in 10 patients with localized colon cancer are as likely to be alive 5 years after diagnosis as a person who was never diagnosed.
Also, colon cancer survival rates per the American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute:
It is important to note, however, that while statistics spell out average survival rates among patients with colon cancers at different stages, they cannot predict what will happen in any particular patient’s case.
Aside from cancer stage, several other factors can influence a colon cancer patient’s outcome. These factors include:
Healthy lifestyle habits, such as proper diet and regular exercise, can strengthen the body’s ability to fight colon cancer and increase the patient’s chances of recovery or survival. Thus, oncologists and other care team members typically will encourage their patients with colon cancer to:
The most common treatment for colon cancer is surgery. The surgeon will remove any evident cancer as well as a small margin of adjacent healthy tissue in an attempt to assure that all cancerous tissue has been excised. The surgeon also will typically remove several nearby lymph nodes and send them for testing, to see if the cancer has spread to those nodes and, perhaps, more widely.
People with colon cancer often are treated with one or more other therapies after (and in some cases before) surgery with the goal of eradicating any potential or known cancer that may exist beyond the surgical site. Treatments can include:
For some patients whose colon cancer was diagnosed early, polyp removal may be the only treatment needed to eliminate cancer. However, some patients may experience a regrowth of polyps and other masses, making regular monitoring and treatment necessary.
The medical oncologists of RCCA have extensive experience treating colon cancer at all stages, as well as treating other solid tumors and malignancies of the blood and blood-forming tissues. These specialists make use of cutting-edge, evidence-based treatments that are individualized to each patient’s particular case and also offer patients access to hundreds of clinical trials.
RCCA, one of the nation’s largest networks of oncology specialists, has 22 conveniently located community-based centers in New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, and the Washington, DC area, so that people with colon cancer can receive compassionate, comprehensive care close to home. To learn more about your colon cancer treatment options, contact us today or request an appointment.
For more information or to schedule an appointment,
call 844-346-7222. You can also schedule an appointment by calling the RCCA location nearest you.
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