Many people neglect their own he alth. They rarely seek medical help when there are already serious disturbances in the functioning of the body. Quite often they are already irreversible and cannot be treated. That is why you need to take care of your he alth and listen to every alarm signal. For example, bloating and lack of appetite may indicate colon cancer. What is this disease?
Medical certificate
Cancer is characterized by uncontrolled division and the formation of abnormal cells. In a he althy body, old elements die off and are replaced by new ones. This process is controlled by genes that are located in the nuclei of cells. In the event of a mutation or under the influence of aggressive external factors, a well-established system fails. The process of replacing old cellular elements with new ones is disrupted. The body begins to produce more cells than required, formingtumor formation.
Colon cancer develops gradually. It may take several years when polyps begin to form on the mucosa of the organ. From the moment of their appearance, these growths are absolutely harmless until the process of their malignancy begins. This transformation is due to genetic mutations. There are a large number of types of polyps, but only one is capable of developing into a cancerous tumor - an adenomatous polyp. As the disease progresses, the neoplasm increases in size, growing into the walls of the intestine and neighboring organs. Malignant elements can, together with the bloodstream, spread throughout the body. This phenomenon is called metastasis.
Some statistics
Colon cancer or colorectal cancer is a common pathology. To realize all its danger, just look at the statistics.
Approximately 600,000 cases of this disease are diagnosed worldwide every year. In Russia, the number of patients has doubled over the last quarter of a century alone. Pathology is common in developed countries and with a stable economic environment. This trend is explained very simply. With the development of technological innovations and the improvement of the quality of life, human physical activity is reduced. On the other hand, the risk of obesity increases. These two factors directly affect the occurrence of the disease.
In the United Kingdom, about 15,000 people die of cancer each year. In the United States, 145,000 patients hear this diagnosis each year,about a third of cases are fatal. In Russia, colorectal cancer ranks fourth among all oncopathologies. To date, 239 thousand patients live in our country. This figure increases by 50,000 new cases every year.
However, such an unpleasant diagnosis is not a sentence. With early detection of the first symptoms of colon cancer and proper treatment, one can hope for a favorable outcome.
Main reasons
Doctors identify several reasons that contribute to the emergence of the pathological process. Among them, the following should be especially noted:
- hereditary predisposition;
- malnutrition;
- bad habits;
- hypodynamia;
- indigestion;
- colon pathologies;
- old age.
Only one of the above reasons should not be considered as a sentence. However, their combination can lead to a malignant process.
Scientists have been studying the relationship between early colon cancer and nutrition for several years. Deficiency in the diet of vegetable fiber and the abuse of meat products contributes to an increase in fatty acids, which ultimately leads to clogging of the body with carcinogens. As a consequence, these substances cause mutation in cellular elements at the gene level. The latter are then transformed into active oncogenes. The cell itself becomes tumorous. Studies show that in countries where the dietPredominantly plant-based, cancer rates are low.
Chronic pathologies of the large intestine also contribute to the formation of malignant tumors. The duration of the course of the disease is directly proportional to the likelihood of cancer. Ulcerative colitis is the most dangerous, and Crohn's disease is the least.
Varieties of oncopathology
Classification of colon cancer is based on various signs and parameters. The disease is divided into types according to the cellular structure of the tumor and the nature of the course. Determining an accurate diagnosis helps prescribe the most appropriate treatment option.
According to the nature of growth, the disease is divided into the following forms:
- Exophytic. Cancer cells grow in the lumen of the organ.
- Endophytic. The neoplasm grows into the lining of the intestine.
- Saucer-shaped. This form of the disease combines the two previous ones.
In addition, there are four stages of colon cancer. Each of them characterizes the degree, localization of pathology and metastases. We will dwell on this issue in more detail later.
Stages of colon cancer
The disease always develops gradually. At first, the pathological focus is localized on the walls of the intestine, but after a while it can spread to neighboring systems. It is important to recognize the early stage of colon cancer so that the recommended treatment is as effective as possible. In modern medicine, the following classification is useddiseases:
- The first stage. At this stage, the tumor is localized on the mucosa of the organ.
- Second stage A. The neoplasm accounts for less than half the diameter of the intestinal lumen. It does not go beyond its limits and does not grow into the walls. The presence of metastases in the lymph nodes is not observed.
- Second stage B. The tumor does not grow, but begins to grow into the wall of the organ.
- Third stage A. The neoplasm is gradually growing and already occupies more than half the diameter of the intestinal lumen.
- Third stage B. The pathological process is supplemented by the appearance of metastases in the lymph nodes.
- The fourth stage. The tumor grows into nearby organs and soft tissues. A lot of metastases are revealed, most of which are single. In the absence of serious therapy, a fatal outcome occurs.
It is not possible to determine the stage of colon cancer by symptoms alone. This requires a comprehensive examination of the body, a biopsy of the pathological focus.
First symptoms of the disease
At the initial stages of development, the disease does not manifest itself. The first symptoms appear as it progresses. Most patients report the following he alth problems:
- abdominal discomfort;
- lack of appetite and rapid weight loss;
- acute intestinal obstruction;
- weakness, fatigue;
- temperature increase;
- blood impurities in feces;
- stomach rumbling.
Increase in size of neoplasmsignificantly changes the clinical picture. Dizziness, tachycardia, loss of consciousness are added to the listed signs of colon cancer.
Diagnostic Methods
Any disease, including cancer, is easier to treat at the initial stage. Therefore, it is very important to undergo preventive examinations in a timely manner, do not forget to visit a gastroenterologist and take a stool test for occult blood. With age, such examinations are recommended every three years.
Modern medicine has in its arsenal the necessary equipment to diagnose the disease at the initial stage of development. If symptoms of colon cancer appear in the early stages, you should immediately consult a doctor. First you need to visit a therapist, and then consult a gastroenterologist and an oncologist. When cancer is suspected, a standard patient examination consists of the following:
- Study of the anamnesis, complaints of the patient.
- Clinical blood test.
- X-ray.
- Fecal occult blood test. To avoid a false positive result, it is recommended to exclude eggs, fish and beets from the diet 3-4 days before the procedure.
- Sigmoidoscopy. The examination involves a partial examination of the intestines using a special tube that is inserted into the anus.
- Colonoscopy. Reminds sigmoidoscopy, but the tube in this case is equipped with a small camera. The image from it is transmitted to the computer screen.
- Irrigoscopy. The procedure is similar to an x-ray, but before it begins, the intestines are filled with a special substance through an enema.
- Ultrasound of the pelvic organs.
- Biopsy of the pathological focus. Tissue is taken from the tumor, which is subsequently examined in the laboratory for malignancy.
After receiving the results of the examination, the doctor confirms or refutes the preliminary diagnosis. The specialist also selects the most effective treatment option for colon cancer.
Surgery
Surgery is the most effective way to eliminate a cancerous tumor. Radical intervention (partial colectomy or hemicolectomy) is prescribed by 90% of patients. During the operation, the doctor makes an incision in the abdominal wall. Sometimes a laparoscopy is performed. It differs from traditional abdominal surgery in that no deep incisions are required. The specialist makes several punctures on the abdominal wall, through which he introduces instruments for surgical manipulations and a small camera. From it, the image is transmitted to the monitor, so you can achieve high accuracy of the procedure and avoid the development of complications.
The recovery process after treatment is determined by the degree of surgery. Adaptation can be divided into three conditional periods:
- first 2 months - bowel function is characterized by severe disorders;
- up to 4-6 months, the body continues to adapt to living conditions;
- up to 4-12 months, a period of stable recovery is maintained, which depends on the volumeintervention.
After the operation, it is necessary to visit the doctor twice a year. In the absence of recurrence of the disease, observation by specialized specialists remains for life with mandatory testing once every 12 months. If necessary, irrigoscopy or colonoscopy is performed, additional consultations with a gynecologist or urologist.
Features of chemotherapy
Colon cancer is treated with chemotherapy before or after surgery. The use of special drugs helps to reduce the size of the tumor, reduces the likelihood of metastases. If it is not possible to remove the neoplasm by surgery, chemotherapy can replace it. For this purpose, the following medicines are usually used:
- "Capecitabine". This is a new drug used to inhibit intracellular metabolism and reduce the activity of oncoelements.
- "Leucovorin". It is a type of folic acid. The tool is used to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy, normalize physiological processes in cells.
- Oxaliplatin. It is prescribed to suppress the genes of cancer cells.
How to restore he alth after chemotherapy? First of all, the attending physician must correctly select the drugs in order to reduce the likelihood of side effects. Usually they are manifested by vomiting, intestinal inflammation, hair loss.
Many patients enter treatment with serious work impairmentskidneys. If you prescribe chemotherapy without prior preparation, the risk of death is high. Therefore, such patients are preliminarily subjected to hemosorption and other measures to restore kidney function.
Recovery of the body after a course of drugs is not required for all patients. If the doctor has correctly selected the drug and its dosage, the patient has been trained before treatment, then after it he is discharged home.
Long recovery is necessary in case of serious changes due to the use of chemotherapy drugs and the decay of tumor tissues. These disorders are:
- hypochromic anemia;
- leukocytopenia or agranulocytosis;
- development of thrombocytopenia.
The rehabilitation period takes place in a hospital in patients with diagnosed toxic hepatitis, myocardial damage, acute psychosis, suicidal tendencies.
Need for radiotherapy
After surgery, patients are often given radiotherapy, which involves the use of x-rays. Its main goal is to destroy the elements left from the neoplasm and prevent the recurrence of the disease.
Radiotherapy is also used before surgery. In this case, the procedure allows you to reduce the size of the tumor. Radiation therapy is often combined with chemotherapy. However, the final decision on the advisability of such an approach remains with the attending physician.
Nutrition and diet
For many patients, the diet for cancercolon before surgery and after it during chemotherapy does not require major changes. For other patients, a special diet is developed with five meals a day to reduce the side effects of the course of drugs.
As a rule, malnourished patients enter medical institutions. They are diagnosed with a late stage of oncology, most of the body's functions are impaired, and there is cancer cachexia. They need to replenish the deficiency of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, vitamins and microelements. If the patient is unable to eat on his own due to stenosis, enteral stents are installed for parenteral nutrition. Only after the normalization of metabolism they are prescribed a course of chemotherapy.
Possible Complications
The initial symptoms of colon cancer cannot be ignored. If treatment is not started in time, the tumor can spread to other organs. This process results in complications. Among them, peritonitis, phlegmon and abscess are considered the most common.
Any complication requires additional examination and appropriate treatment. With an advanced form of the disease, a combination of several pathologies is often observed, which only worsens the prognosis for recovery. To prevent the occurrence of negative consequences, it is necessary to diagnose colon cancer in a timely manner.
Prognosis for recovery
The prognosis for survival in cancer is disappointing. One third of patients die. Even timely and competent treatment is notguarantee of complete recovery. It all depends on the size of the neoplasm, its exact localization and the presence of metastases in other organs.
According to most doctors, the likelihood of recurrence is possible only in the first 5 years after surgery. If this does not happen, the risk of re-development of the disease is reduced to almost zero.
Of course, the positive prognosis of survival in colon cancer is affected by the stage of pathology, the number of affected lymph nodes. For example, at the initial stage and subject to timely treatment, about 74% of patients forget about oncology. The fourth stage has an unfavorable prognosis. In this case, the probability of survival is up to 6%.
When recurrent, metastases tend to affect the liver and lymph nodes.
Prevention Methods
The symptoms of colon cancer greatly impair the patient's quality of life. A person cannot work, fully serve himself. Unfortunately, in recent years this disease is diagnosed more and more often. Therefore, many are interested in how you can protect yourself from such a dangerous disease. Doctors advise following the recommendations listed below:
- Periodically undergo a comprehensive examination of the body. The most informative is the analysis for occult blood in feces. Special attention should be paid to it if a person is at risk.
- Timely treat various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract to prevent their transformation into a chronic form.
- Completely rethink your daily diet. Doctors around the world adviseeat more plant foods, and reduce the amount of red meat consumed. It is necessary to include foods that prevent constipation in the diet.
- Completely give up bad habits.
- Maintain the balance of vitamins and trace elements in the body. If necessary, take a multivitamin complex twice a year.
- Do what you can, move more.
Compliance with these simple rules of prevention can prevent the development of any cancer, including colon cancer. In women, the symptoms of the disease practically do not differ from the manifestations of the disease in men. Therefore, advice on the prevention of the pathological process can be used by everyone.
Treatment of the disease with modern methods and in the early stages gives good results. Cancer cannot be defeated with pills, folk remedies or baths. Lost time as a result can cost a person a life.
