Colon cancer is a disease in which cancer cells form in the tissues of the colon.   A first sign of colon cancer can include a change in bowel habits or blood in the stool.

The treatment options depend on the following:

• The stage of the cancer.
• Whether the cancer has recurred.
• The patient’s general health.

A staging process will be used to determine how advanced the cancer is.  As the cancer develops, it can spread through your tissues, through the lymphatic system and through the blood.  If the cancer enters your blood, it can then travel through your entire body.

The stages of cancer range from Stage 0, in which there are abnormal cells in the lining of the colon.  These cells may or may not be cancerous.  The stages can develop all the way to stage IV.  In Stage IV, the cancer has spread into the lymph nodes and may be spreading to the liver and lungs.

The primary treatment of colon cancer is to surgically remove part of your colon or at least all or part of the cancerous tumors.   If the cancer is found early, you may be able to have a local excision.  In this case, the doctor will place a tube through the rectum into the colon and cut the cancer out.

If the cancer is larger, a resection may be necessary.  A resection is also called a partial colectomy, which is removing the cancer and a small amount of the tissue or the colon around it.  During the surgery, you may also have lymph nodes remove to ensure that the cancer has not spread.

Once the surgery is over, chemotherapy may also be necessary.  Chemotherapy can stop the growth of cancer cells and can prolong survival for people whose cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes.  There are numerous kinds of chemotherapy, including medications that are taken by mouth or drugs that are injected into the veins by an IV.  The type and need for chemotherapy also depends on the stage of the cancer.

Radiation treatment is another treatment to help people with cancer that involves using x-ray radiation to kill cancer cells.  It usually is only used for rectal cancer versus colon cancer.  If is possible to receive radiation before surgery and it may reduce the size of the tumor.  If the radiation does reduce the size of the tumor, you may have more luck in having it removed.

As there risks and side effects to all the various treatments, it is important to research your options.  First you should consider the side effects, life changes, financial aspects and follow-up treatments.  Your doctor should be able to provide a summary of each treatment and whether it is the best for your age and your current health.  If necessary, you can seek a second opinion or you can simply follow your doctor’s recommendations.  With everything else, research the facts and take your time with your decision.