What Is a Colon Cancer?
Colon cancer occurs in the large intestine when the benign polyps in the colon become malignant. It is one of the most common type of cancer which can affect both men and women. If colon cancer and rectal cancer occur together it called as colorectal cancer. Symptoms of the colon cancer may not appear in early stages until it become to later stages that’s why doctors are recommending regular controls after the age 50.
Treatment options for colon cancer depends on the varios factors including general health status of the patient, age of the patient, size, type, grade and growth rate of the cancer. The stage is determined by the size of the tumor and whether it has speard the to other organs.
Symptom Of Colon cancer
Below indicated symptoms can be signs of colon cancer;
- Diarrhea, constipation
- Rectal bleeding, blood in the stool
- Persistent abdominal pain, cramps, bloating, or gas
- weakness and fatigue
- Unexplained weight loss
Colon cancer can be treated by the combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The goal of the treatment is remove the cancer and relieve the symptoms.
SURGERY FOR COLON CANCER
Surgery is the primary treatment option for patients who are diagnosed with colon cancer. The type of the surgery determined by the surgeon depending on the size of the tumour and whether it has spread to the lymph nodes. Surgery involves with removing the some part of the colon where tumour is located (partial colectomy) and nearby lymph nodes. Small local tumours can be removed endoscopically. Larger tumors are usually removed by laparoscopic surgery. Our pool of highly trained general surgeons committed to providing excellent surgical services to our patients.
During the consultation to determine the most appropriate surgical options for the patients individual situation, our surgeon will provide detailed information about the planned operation and post-operative care and the recovery process.
CHEMOTHERAPY FOR COLON CANCER
Chemotherapy simply means ‘drug treatment’ and aims to cure cancer or relieve any symptoms that cancer can cause. Chemotherapy uses anti cancer medications to destroy cancer cells. The medications circulate throug the body in the bloodstream and destroy the fast-growing cancer cells while causing least possible damage to healthy cells.Chemotherapy is generally used if there is evidence of metastazis in the other parts of the body.
Chemothepary can be performed after the surgery or in some cases before the surgery. Chemotherapy after the surgery can be performed to destroy remaining tumour cells after the surgery. According the result of the pathology if there is a risk of recurring or spreading adjuvant chemotherapy will be recommended to the patient. Chemotherapy before the surgery is used to minimize the large tumors to enable the surgeon remove the tumor completely.
Usually, patients are given a number of cycles of chemotherapy in order to destroy as many of the cancer cells as possible. During the each cycles combination of 2 or 3 anti cancer drugs can be administered to the patient. Common side effects of the chemotherpy may include nausea, fatigue, hair loss and vomiting.
Our partnership with Turkey’s leading cancer centers enables to provide our patients with coordinated multi-disciplinary care, high quality clinical outcomes, access to leading edge technology and clinical trials, cost-efficient care, outstanding patient experience, research and innovation, and a holistic approach to patient care.
RADIOTHERAPY FOR COLON CANCER
Until the later stages of colon cancer radiotherapy is not a treatment option for the patients. Radiotherapy also called radiation therapy uses low dose radiation rays to destroy the cancer cells remaining after the surgery. In addition to other treatments in some cases depending on the type of the surgery that patient had and the stage of the cancer, the treatment continious with radiaotherapy and chemotherapy.
The treatment is providing with a machine called linear accelerator. It is delivered once in a day and five days in a week (Monday through Friday) for three to six weeks. Each session will take only a few minutes.
Through our network hospitals we are pleased to provide immediate access to cancer treatment at affordable prices. Patients can rest assured that that we will collaborate and explore all treatment options, providing the best care available.