Colon Cancer Treatment

Colon Cancer Treatment
By Sebastian Palmer

Surgical procedures Your surgeon removes the part of your colon
that contains the cancer, along with a margin of normal tissue
on either side of the cancer to help ensure that no cancer is
left behind. Nearby lymph nodes are usually also removed and
tested for cancer.

Your surgeon is often able to reconnect the healthy portions of
your colon or rectum. But when that's not possible, for instance
if the cancer is at the outlet of your rectum, you may need to
have a permanent or temporary colostomy.

This involves creating an opening in the wall of your abdomen
from a portion of the remaining bowel for the elimination of
body wastes into a special bag. Sometimes the colostomy is only
temporary, allowing your colon or rectum time to heal after
surgery.

In some cases, however, the colostomy may be permanent. In
cases of rare, inherited syndromes such as familial adenomatous
polyposis, or inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative
colitis, you may need removal of your entire colon and rectum as
a prophylactic measure.Then, in a procedure known as ileal
pouch-anal anastomosis, your surgeon will likely construct a
pouch from the end of your small intestine that attaches
directly to your anus. This allows you to expel waste normally,
although you may have several watery bowel movements a day.

Side effects of colon cancer surgery may include short-term
pain and tenderness, and temporary constipation or diarrhea. If
you have a colostomy, you may develop an irritation on the skin
around the opening (stoma). If your cancer is small, localized
in a polyp

and in a very early stage, your surgeon may be able
to remove it completely during a colonoscopy. If the pathologist
determines that the cancer in the polyp doesn't involve the base
— where the polyp is attached to the bowel wall — then there is
a good chance that the cancer has been completely eliminated.
Some larger polyps may be removed using laparoscopic surgery. In
this procedure, your surgeon performs the operation through
several tiny incisions in your abdominal wall, using small
instruments with attached cameras that display your colon on a
video monitor.

He or she may also take samples from the lymph nodes that drain
the area where the cancer is located. Studies have found that
people undergoing this procedure need less pain medication and
leave the hospital a day earlier on average. Also, people who
have this procedure don't have higher rates of recurrence than
those who choose the open surgery.

If your cancer is advanced or your health poor, only a small
portion of your colon or rectum may be removed. This isn't as
effective as surgeries that remove more tissue, and doctors
mainly do this to relieve blockages or bleeding. This is
referred to as palliative surgery; it isn't curative.

About the Author: For greater resources on colon cancer or
especially about colon cancer treatment please visit this link
http://colon-cancer.evonet.ro

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=140502&ca=Cancer+Survival