Colon cancer

For patients with stage IV disease that is localized to the liver, various treatments directed specifically at the liver can be used. Tumors may be surgically removed, burned, or frozen in some cases. Chemotherapy or radioactive substances can sometimes be infused directly into the liver.

Radiation therapy is occasionally used in patients with colon cancer, but this is often used in combination with chemotherapy for patients with stage III rectal cancer.

Support Groups:

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For additional resources and information, see colon cancer support group.

Expectations (prognosis):

If the patient's colon cancer does not come back (recur) within 5 years, it is considered cured. This is because colon cancer rarely comes back after 5 years. Stage I, II, and III cancers are considered potentially curable. In most cases, stage IV cancer is not curable.

Stage I has a 90% 5-year survival. Stage II has a 75 - 85% 5-year survival, and Stage III a 40 - 60% 5-year survival. These numbers take into account that for stage III patients (and in some studies, stage II patients), chemotherapy improves the chance of 5-year survival.

Patients with stage IV disease rarely live beyond 5 years, and the median survival (meaning half the patients live longer, and half shorter) with treatment is between 1 and 2 years.

Complications:

Cancer spreading to other organs or tissues (metastasis)
Recurrence of carcinoma within the colon
Development of a second primary colorectal cancer

Calling your health care provider:

Colon cancer is, in almost all cases, a treatable disease if caught early. Removal of premalignant polyps by colonoscopy essentially prevents colon cancer. Any man or woman age 50 or over who has not had a colonoscopy should call his or her physician to schedule one.

Additionally, call your physician if you develop blood in the stool (either visible blood or blood detected by a home fecal occult blood test), black tarry stool, or a change in bowel habits. However, it is important to emphasize that most people with colon cancer have no symptoms.