Master Cleanse Secrets
Master Cleanse Secrets

Stage 4 Colon Cancer Symptoms – Just The Facts

The most advanced phase of colon cancer is referred to as stage 4. At this point the cancer that has metastasized beyond the colon and lymph nodes to organs such as the liver, lungs, stomach or ovaries. There are several types of treatment available that can prolong the life of the patient, but not all of these are applicable in all cases. Patients should discuss treatment options for stage 4 colon cancer with their doctor, learn the risks and benefits of each, and make an informed decision on the course of their cancer management.

Surgery is usually recommended as a treatment for advanced cancer of the colon. In a colectomy, or surgical resection, the affected section of the colon is removed along with the surrounding lymph nodes. The ends of the remaining healthy colon tube are then reattached. In a debulking procedure, a surgeon removes as much of a cancerous tumor as possible. This is done not as a cure, but to reduce pain or make other forms of therapy more effective.

The use of chemotherapy to treat stage 4 cancer depends on how and where the tumor is attached. Chemotherapy treatment damages cells that have a rapid rate of growth. As well as destroying cancer cells, it adversely affects other fast-growing cells in the body. This can cause hair loss, anemia, nausea and a range of other symptoms. Medications are routinely prescribed to control the side effects.

Radiation therapy is sometimes used to treat advanced cancer of the colon in conjunction with surgery or chemotherapy. It kills off cancer cells with high energy rays or particles. There is a risk that adjacent healthy cells could also be destroyed, so radiation is seldom used to treat cancer that has spread to a vital organ.

Monoclonal antibody therapy is a relatively new treatment that has doubled the median survival rate for advanced cancer of the colon. Cancer cells have receptors on their surfaces that respond to growth signals. Monoclonal antibodies are proteins designed to attach to these receptors and block growth signals from reaching them. Side effects of this sort of therapy are less harsh than those associated with chemotherapy.

Anti-angiogenesis therapy is an exciting advancement in cancer treatment. Used with chemotherapy, it can extend the lifespan of colon cancer patients by up to five months. It works by inhibiting the production of new blood vessels within a tumor. Without an adequate blood supply, the tumor can’t grow.

Most cases of stage 4 colon cancer are considered treatable as opposed to curable. Some doctors make predictions about survival times for individual cases, but these are only a best guess based on statistics. A range of factors can influence how well a patient responds to various treatments. Some exceptional patients outlive their original prognosis by months or even years.

Learn more about stage 4 colon cancer treatments at www.HealthHints.org. Stop by Shawn Onseo’s website to see more health hints on cancer, weight loss, stop smoking and more.

Stage 4 Colon Cancer Symptoms – Just The Facts

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