Colon Cancer Surgery

COLON CANCER

 

Large Intestine gets affected with the invasion of such cancer. Most of the cases are seen to commence as a small, noncancerous benign clump of cells known as adenomatous polyps. It is seen that some of these polyps grow up to become cancerous over time. However, these polyps might also carry symptoms. Thus, best Colon Cancer doctor recommend taking of screening tests at regular interval. Such screening will help prevent cancer through identification and removal of polyps before they turn dangerous.

Symptoms:

Cancer at Colon can be identified by the following symptoms:

  • Change in bowel habits. These changes may include diarrhoea or constipation or a change in the consistency of stool that lasts for more than four weeks.
  • Bleeding in stool
  • Rectal Bleeding
  • Abdominal discomfort that comprises cramps, gas or pain for a longer period
  • Inexplicable loss of weight
  • Unprecedented fatigue

Very few patients can identify these as a warning for cancer. Thus, most of them are treated at comparatively advanced stage. But, health institutes put common alarm over media against observing blood in stool or continuous change in bowel habits is reported immediately to a doctor or cancer specialist.

Reason:

Though it is commonly known that colon cancer develops with the faulty DNA development of the healthy cells at colon, yet the appropriate cause for such cancer is hard to find. Normal body functioning is maintained with orderly growth and division of healthy cells. But a cancerous cell is seen to divide without maintaining any coordination. Accumulations of these excess cells actually form the tumor.

Risk Factors:

Cancer at Colon can be identified by the following symptoms:

  • Old age: It is observed that numerous colon patients are aged above 50. Thus, higher age has been considered as an important factor
  • Personal History: Greater risk of having this disease is pertinent for people who have already gone through such cancer or adenomatous polyps.
  • Inflammatory Intestine: Chronic inflammatory disease of the colon, e.g. ulcerative colitis, they are more prone to get this disease
  • Family History of Colon Cancer: Colon cancer is more likely to develop for those people who have a past record of getting this cancer in family
  • Inherited Syndromes: Some Genetic syndromes that are passed through generations of family may be liable to increase the risk of such cancer. Syndromes like familial adenomatous polyposis and hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer belong to this variety.
  • Diabetes: Diabetic patient have high risk of getting colon cancer
  • Smoking: Increased risk of cancer is invariably associated with consumption of alcohol and smoking
  • Obesity: Obese people are in higher risk of having Colon Cancer. They are even more prone to dying of this disease.

Remedies:

Remedies that are offered by the Best cancer doctor are largely dependent on factors like type and stage of the cancer. Such treatment also takes into account determinants like age, health status and past histories of the patient relating to disease.

  • Surgery:Treatment of Colon Cancer normally involves partial or total removal of colon by the best surgical oncologist. Some additional tissues surrounding the area are also removed. The remaining healthy portion of the colon may be reattached to the rectum or attached to a stoma after studying of the extent of colectomy. Stoma is an opening made in the wall of the abdomen. Wastes are passed through a bag. Lower part of colon is thus not required. This process is called colostomy. Endoscopy may also be required for removal of some small and localized cancers.
    Surgeon may also opt for Laparoscopic Surgery. Such surgery is done through use of several small incisions. Larger polyps are removed through this process.
  • Chemotherapy:Proteins and DNA are damaged by applying Chemotherapy. Such damaging process is administered in order to arrest division process of cancer cells. Such treatment process aims to destruct any rapidly dividing cell. Curiously, healthy cells can stay recovered, while the cancer cells die. Such procedure is applied for cancer that has reached an advanced stage and spread throughout. Held in lapses to allow the body undergoes a healing in between. This procedure has side effects like Nausea, Hair loss, vomit and fatigue.

 

Disclaimer

Oncology is an ever evolving field of medicine and is matter of research and development. The author per say does not claim the following to be guidelines of practice in oncology. These are part of patient awareness initiative by Dr. Suvadip Chakrabarti MCh (Surgical Oncology), cancer doctor in Kolkata to educate people at large of various options in Oncology. It should not be taken to be practice guidelines.