Colon cancer

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Barium enema	Colon cancer - series	Colon culture	Colonoscopy
Colostomy - series	Digestive system	Large bowel resection - series	Large intestine
Rectal cancer, X-ray	Sigmoid colon cancer, X-ray	Spleen metastasis - CT scan	Stages of cancer
Structure of the colon	The large intestine

Colorectal cancer; Cancer - colon

Treatment depends partly on the stage of the cancer. In general, treatments may include:

• Chemotherapy medicines to kill cancer cells
• Surgery to remove cancer cells
• Radiation therapy to destroy cancerous tissue

Stage 0 colon cancer may be treated by removing the cancer cells, often during a colonoscopy. For stages I, II, and III cancer, more extensive surgery is needed to remove the part of the colon that is cancerous. (See: Colon resection.)

There is some debate as to whether patients with stage II colon cancer should receive chemotherapy after surgery. You should discuss this with your oncologist.

Almost all patients with stage III colon cancer should receive chemotherapy after surgery for approximately 6 - 8 months. The chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracil given has been shown to increase the chance of a cure in certain patients.

Chemotherapy is also used to treat patients with stage IV colon cancer. Irinotecan, oxaliplatin, and 5-fluorouracil are the three most commonly used drugs. You may receive just one type, or a combination of the drugs. Capecitabine is a chemotherapy drug taken by mouth, and is similar to 5-fluroruracil.

For patients with stage IV disease that has spread to the liver, various treatments directed specifically at the liver can be used. This may include cutting out the cancer, burning it (ablation), or freezing it (cryotherapy). Chemotherapy or radiation can sometimes be delivered directly into the liver.

While radiation therapy is occasionally used in patients with colon cancer, it is usually used in combination with chemotherapy for patients with stage III rectal cancer.

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

How well a patient does depends on many things, including the stage of the cancer. In general, when treated at an early stage, more than 90% of patients survive at least 5 years after their diagnosis. (This is called the 5-year survival rate.) However, only about 39% of colorectal cancer is found at an early stage. The 5-year survival rate drops considerably once the cancer has spread.