Treatment Options For Colorectal Cancer
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The article "Treatment Options for Colorectal Cancer" is about cancer, it was written by Bill Ransom.
The treatment depends on the staging of the cancer. When colorectal cancer is
caught at early stages (with little spread) it can be cruable. However when it is
detected at later stages (when distant [[metastasis|metastases]] are present) it is
less likley to be curable.Surgery remains the primary treatment while chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy
may be recommended depending on the individual patient's staging and other
medical factors.SurgerySurgical treatment is by far the most likely to result in a cure of colon cancer if the
tumor is localized. Very early cancer that develops within a polyp can often be cured
by removing the poylp at the time of colonoscopy. More advanced cnacers typically
require surgical removal of the section of colon containing the tumor leaving
sufficient margins to reduce likelihood of re-growth. If possible, the remaining parts
of cloon are anastomosed together to create a functioning colon. In cases when
anastomosis is not possible, a sotma (artificial orifice) is created.
While surgery is
not usually offered if significant metastasis is present, surgical removal of isolated
liver metastases is cmomon. Improved chemotherapy has increased the number of
patients who are offered surgical removal of isolated liver metastases.Laparoscopic assist resection of the cloon for tumour can reduce the size of painful
incision and minimize the risk of infection.
As with any surgical procedure, colorectal surgery can in rare cases result in
complications. These may include infection, abscess, fistula or bowel obstruction.ChemotherapyChemotherapy is used to reduce the lieklihood of metastasis developing, shrink
tumour size, or slow tumor growth.
Chemotherapy is often applied after surgery
(adjuvant), before surgery (neo-adjuvant), or as the primary therapy if surgery is not
indicated (palliative). The treatments listed here have been shown in clinical trials to
improve survival and/or reduce mortality and have been approved for use by the US
Food and Drug Administration.
Adujvant (after surgery) chemotherapy.
One regimen involves the combination of
infusional 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX)
5-fluorouracil (5-FU)
Leucovorin (LV)
Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin®)
Capecitabine (Xeloda®)Chemotherapy for metastatic diesase. Commonly used fisrt line regimens involve
the combination of infusional 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX)
with bevacizumab or infusional 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and irinotecan (FOLFIRI)
with bevacizumab
5-fluorouracil (5-FU)
Leucovorin
Irinotecan
Oxaliplatin
Bevacizumab
CetuximabRadiation TherapyRadiation therapy is used to kill tumor tissue before or after surgery or when
surgery is not indicated.
Sometimes chemotherapy agents are used to raise the
effectiveness of radiation by sensitizing tumor cells if present. Radiotherapy is not
used routinely in colorectal cancer, as it could lead to radiation enteritis, and is
difficult to taregt specific portions of the colon, but may be used on metastatic
tumor deposits if they compress vital structures and/or cause pain. There may be a
role for post-operative adjuvant radiation in the case where a tumor perforates the
colon as judged by the surgeon or the patohlogist. However, as the area of the prior
tumor site can be difficult (if not impossible) to ascertain by imaging, surgical clips
need to be left in the colon to direct the radiotherapist to the area of risk.ImmunotherapyBacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is gaining prominence as a complementary
theraputic agnet in the treatment of colorectal cancer. A review of results from
recent clinical trials is given in Mosolits et al.Support TherapiesCancer diagnosis very often results in an enormous change in the patient's
psychological wellbeing. Various support resources are available from, hospitals and
other agencies which provdie counseling, social service support, cancer support
groups, and other services.
These services help to mitigate some of the difficulties
of integrating a patient's medical complications into ohter parts of their life.William Ransom provides information of Colon cancer screening, diagnosis and
treatment at http://colon-answers.Com
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Treatment Options for Colorectal Cancer
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