Surgery. Most people with colon cancer will undergo some type of colon surgery. It is a common method of treatment and often accompanies another type of surgery. Types of surgery used to treat colon cancer include:
- Local Incision and Polypectomy. In early stage colon cancer, a surgeon may be able to remove cancerous tissue without actually having to make an incision in the abdomen. Special instruments are inserted into the rectum to the colon cancer the cancer is removed. If the cancer is found in a polyp, then is it referred to as a polypectomy.
- Surgical Resection. During a surgical resection, a surgeon removes part of the colon and then the colon is reconnected. This can be achieved through an abdominal incision, or for some people, laparoscopically. Laparoscopic assisted resection is a relatively new approach of performing a resection, so a surgeon experienced in this method is needed. It is not recommended for all people, more so for those with earlier stages of colon cancer. A colon resection is also called a colectomy or segmental resection. Several types of resections are performed based on the stage of colon cancer and other factors.
- Resection and Colostomy.When the colon is not reattached during a resection, a colostomy is an option that provides an effective way for waste material to leave the body. The end of the large intestine is brought through the abdominal wall to an opening (a stoma) in the abdomen that allows waste material to drain into a bag, called a colostomy bag. A colostomy may be temporary or permanent.
Chemotherapy. The organs in our body are made up of cells. Cells divide and multiply as the body needs them. When these cells continue to multiply unnecessarily, the result is a mass or growth, also called a tumor. Chemotherapy drugs work by eliminating these rapidly multiplying renegade cells. Other healthy cells multiply just as quickly, like hair follicle cells. Unfortunately, many chemotherapy drugs may not be able to discern the two, attacking healthy cells and causing side effects like hair loss.
Chemotherapy for colon cancer may be advised in those with stage 2 colon cancer and in those suffering from stages 3 and 4. Chemotherapy for colon cancer may be prescribed before or after surgery and may also be given in conjunction with radiation therapy.
Radiation Therapy. Radiation therapy uses certain types high energy beams of radiation to shrink tumors or eliminate cancer cells. Radiation therapy works by damaging a cancer cell's DNA, making it unable to multiply. Although radiation therapy can damage nearby healthy cells, cancer cells are highly sensitive to radiation and typically die when treated. Healthy cells that are damaged during radiation are resilient and are often able to fully recover.
Two primary types of radiation therapy are external beam radiation therapy and internal beam radiation, also called brachytherapy. In colon cancer, external beam radiation is much more common than internal beam radiation.
source : cancer.about.com
Chemotherapy for colon cancer may be advised in those with stage 2 colon cancer and in those suffering from stages 3 and 4. Chemotherapy for colon cancer may be prescribed before or after surgery and may also be given in conjunction with radiation therapy.
Radiation Therapy. Radiation therapy uses certain types high energy beams of radiation to shrink tumors or eliminate cancer cells. Radiation therapy works by damaging a cancer cell's DNA, making it unable to multiply. Although radiation therapy can damage nearby healthy cells, cancer cells are highly sensitive to radiation and typically die when treated. Healthy cells that are damaged during radiation are resilient and are often able to fully recover.
Two primary types of radiation therapy are external beam radiation therapy and internal beam radiation, also called brachytherapy. In colon cancer, external beam radiation is much more common than internal beam radiation.
source : cancer.about.com
