Treatment Options for Colorectal Cancer
Treatment depends on the stage of cancer. When colorectal cancer is caught at early stages (with little spread) it can be curable. However, when it is detected at a later stage (distant [[metastases | metastases]] are present), it is less likely to be curable.
Surgery remains the primary treatment, while chemotherapy and / or radiotherapy may be recommended depending on staging for each patient and other medical factors.
Surgery
Surgical treatment is by far the most likely to lead to a cure for colon cancer if the tumor is localized. Very early cancer that develops within a polyp can often be cured by removing the polyp at colonoscopy. More advanced cancers typically require surgical removal of the section of colon containing the tumor, leaving a sufficient margin to reduce the risk of resumed growth. If possible, the remaining parts of colon are anastomosed together to create a functioning colon. Where
anastomosis is not possible, a stoma (artificial orifice) is created. While surgery is not usually offered if significant metastasis is present, surgical removal of isolated liver metastases is common. Improved chemotherapy has increased the number of patients who are offered surgical removal of isolated liver metastases.
Help Laparoscopic resection of colon tumor to reduce the size of the incision pain and minimize the risk of infection. As with any surgery, colorectal surgery can in rare cases lead to complications. These may include infection, abscess, fistula or bowel obstruction.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is used to reduce the risk of developing metastases, reducing tumor size, or slow tumor growth. Chemotherapy is often applied after surgery (adjuvant therapy) before surgery (neo-adjuvant), or as primary therapy if surgery is not indicated (palliative). The treatments listed here have been demonstrated in clinical trials to improve survival and / or reduce mortality and have been approved for use by the United States
Food and Drug Administration. Adjuvant (after surgery) chemotherapy. A scheme involving the combination of infusional 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) leucovorin (LV) Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin?) Capecitabine (Xeloda?)
Chemotherapy for metastatic disease. Commonly used the first scheme involves the combination of infusional 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) with bevacizumab or infusional 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) bevacizumab with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), Leucovorin Bevacizumab Irinotecan Oxaliplatin Cetuximab
Radiation Therapy
Radiotherapy is used to destroy tumor tissue before or after surgery or when surgery is not indicated. Sometimes chemotherapy agents are used to increase the effectiveness of radiation by sensitizing tumor cells if present. Radiotherapy is not used routinely in colorectal cancer because it could lead to radiation enteritis, and it is difficult to target specific parts of the colon, but may be used in metastatic
tumor deposits if they compress vital structures and / or cause pain. There may be a role for post-operative adjuvant radiation in cases where a tumor perforates the colon as measured by the surgeon or pathologist. However, as the area of the tumor site before can be difficult (or impossible) to verify the imaging, surgical clips should be left in the colon to direct the radiation oncologist to the risk area.
Immunotherapy
Bacillus Calmette-Gu閞in (BCG) is gaining ground as an additional theraputic agent in the treatment of colorectal cancers. A review of recent clinical trials is given in Mosolits et al.
The supportive therapies
THE DIAGNOSIS OF CANCER very often a huge change in the psychological well-being of the patient. Various support resources are available from, hospitals and other organizations that provide counseling, social support services, cancer support groups and other services. These services help to alleviate some of the difficulties
Integration of medical complications of patients in other parts of their lives.