Colon Cancer in Thibodaux, LA
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Find a ProviderWhat is colon cancer?
The colon is the last portion of the GI system where your body extracts liquid and salt from feces. Colon and rectal cancer appear when tumorous masses evolve in the colon. Cancer begins as benign masses named polyps. Polyps are minuscule clusters of cells that can ultimately turn into tumors.
Colon cancer is more common in mature adults and is the second most common cancer detected in both females and males put together.
It is crucial to get a colonoscopy early in your life and then as directed by your GI provider. If you are interested in scheduling a colon cancer screening, contact a Digestive Health Center near you to request a consultation.
What are the symptoms and risk factors of colorectal cancer?
If the cancer is caught early and treated correctly, it is our hope that, should you experience the early signs of colon and rectal cancer, quick intervention could render a more positive result. If you are having any of the symptoms listed below regularly, please request a consultation with a Thibodaux, LA gastroenterologist immediately:
- Long-term abdominal distress, like cramps, gas, or pain
- A sensation that your bowel doesn’t clear fully
- An abrupt alteration in bowel habits, including constipation, diarrhea, or a change in the consistency of your stool
- Pain during bowel movements
- Continual presses to have a bowel movement
- Rectal bleeding
- Any of this list coupled with weakness and tiredness
Some of the factors that could place a patient at greater risk for colon cancer are:
- Age: Colon cancer is usually discovered in patients who are over 50; despite that, the rates of colon and rectal cancer in young people have been growing.
- Race: Persons of African-American heritage possess a greater risk of colorectal cancer compared to other races.
- Family history: If you or a relative has had colon and rectal cancer or colon polyps, you have an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
- Inflammatory intestinal afflictions: Long-term diseases, including Crohn's disease and colitis, can expand your risk of colon and rectal cancer.
- “Typical Western Diet”: Colon cancer has been associated with a low-fiber, increased fat, and high-calorie way of eating.
What is the survival rate for colorectal cancer?
Cancer rates of survival are divided into groups and depend on how advanced the cancer is when diagnosed. Localized colorectal cancer is cancer that is purely in the colon. Regional colorectal cancer is when the disease transfers to the adjacent cells and organs, and distant colorectal cancer is when the disease has spread to remote parts of the body.
- Localized colorectal cancer: 90% 5-year survival rate
- Regional colorectal cancer: 71% 5-year survival rate
- Distant colorectal cancer: 14% 5-year survival rate
If the cancer is diagnosed ahead of time and merely manifests in a few malignant polyps, then the polyps can be excised resulting in exceedingly large survival rates.
We advise receiving a colonoscopy when you turn 45 years old in order to detect cancer quickly. If colorectal cancer is diagnosed in your family, then we suggest having a screening for colorectal cancer at a Digestive Health Center location near you as soon as possible.
What are the available treatments for colon cancer?
Treatment for colon cancer in Thibodaux, LA individuals is based on the stage of the condition. Every case is unique, but the best thing you can do to avoid colon cancer is to take the necessary steps to prevent it.
Prevention
Colon cancer is a unique type of cancer because it is preventable. Colon cancer first appears in the form of tumors. These tumors can be excised, which lowers your chance of dying from cancer by 90%. Your particular risk and prevention steps can be determined at a colon cancer screening with your GI provider.
Stage 0 Colon Cancer Treatment
Stage 0 colon cancer is when the colon cancer has not spread further than the interior lining of the colon. If the growth is minuscule enough, it can be freely extracted using a colonoscope during a colonoscopy.
Stage I Colon Cancer Treatment
If the polyp is entirely extracted during a colonoscopy with no cancer cells at the extremities, no continued care may be needed. If the excised polyp does have cancerous tissues at the rims, more surgery might be needed to remove the extra cancerous cells. For cancers not in a polyp, a partial colectomy might be required to withdraw the piece of the colon and adjacent lymph nodes that are cancerous.
Stage II Colon Cancer Treatment
Typically, in stage 2, surgery is performed to remove the piece of the colon or nearby lymph nodes containing cancer. In some cases, your provider will recommend adjuvant chemotherapy (chemo after surgery) in addition.
Stage III Colon Cancer Treatment
A partial colectomy and then adjuvant chemotherapy is the conventional treatment for this phase of colorectal cancer.
Stage IV Colon Cancer Treatment
This phase of cancer normally means that the condition has spread to different tissues or body parts. Surgery could be required to extract parts of cancer established in the colon and additional organs, along with chemotherapy. Chemotherapy at this stage is usually administered before and following surgery.
Colon Cancer FAQs
What are the causes of colorectal cancer?
Although the exact reason behind colorectal cancer is not well understood, the disease occurs when cells that have become mutated in the inner lining of the rectum or large intestine expand beyond control, creating a growth or tumor. Certain factors may amplify the chance of developing the disease. These factors involve lifestyle choices, such as drinking alcohol or using tobacco, lack of exercise, and poor nutrition, along with a hereditary or familial predisposition.
How is colon cancer diagnosed?
Colorectal cancer is generally detected and diagnosed when having a colon cancer screening. A colonoscopy exam is the most commonly performed, precise, and complete testing option for catching colon cancer. Additional testing, like virtual colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, double-contrast barium enema, and fecal tests, may also be utilized when screening for colon cancer. Your Digestive Health Center GI doctor can recommend the optimal approach to screening and diagnosis for your health needs.
How fast does colon cancer develop?
Colon and rectal cancer grows slowly in most cases. The disease typically arises as a noncancerous polyp or growth in the large bowel or rectum that turns cancerous as time goes on. Noticing symptoms when polyps are present is uncommon, which means that regular colon cancer screenings are vital to identifying this cancer as quickly as possible.
Is colon cancer preventable?
Cancer of the colon or rectum can often be prevented with periodic colorectal cancer exams. Since most instances of colon cancer start as precancerous growths (polyps), getting screened as advised by your healthcare provider can help lower the risk of experiencing this disease. Our gastrointestinal specialists in Thibodaux, LA can offer further information on reducing your risk for colorectal cancer when you visit for a consultation.
Patient-focused care for colon cancer
If you or a family member suspects or has been diagnosed with colon cancer, our team of board-certified GI specialists is ready to help you through this process. Our Digestive Health Center locations are a physician-led system of gastroenterologists, and each of our specialists makes it their goal to place the care and safety of our clients before everything else. To learn more about colon cancer and how it may be identified and prevented, or to get treatment for colorectal cancer in Thibodaux, LA, please reach out to our team today.
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