colon cancer reaches stage 4, when it is no longer confined to the colon and nearby lymph nodes, but it has metastasized to other organs. At this stage, the cancer may have spread to the lungs, liver or stomach. There are several treatments available to prolong the lifespan of patients who suffer from stage 4 colon cancer . These have different risks and benefits. Depending on the individual case, and some treatments to be more suitable than others. Patients should be able to make informed decisions about their cancer management after discussing all the options with your doctor.
When colorectal cancer is diagnosed at an advanced stage, surgery is often necessary. The surgical resection or colectomy, the surgeon removes the cancer of the colon crijeva.Preostale healthy parts of the colon are connected and can function normally after recovery. If the entire tumor can not be removed without damage to the organs, as much as possible to cut out the procedure known as debulking. This reduces pain and can increase the effectiveness of other therapies.
Chemotherapy is useful in some cases of stage 4 cancer, depending on the location of the tumor. Chemotherapy treatment destroys rapidly growing cells in the body, cancer cells as a major goal. Unfortunately, other normal cells that have a rapid growth tend to be damaged in the process. This can lead to hair loss, nausea, fatigue and other side effects, some of which can be controlled with medication.
Radiation therapy is sometimes used to treat advanced colon cancer in combination with surgery or chemotherapy. It kills off the cancer cells with high energy rays or particles. There is a risk to neighboring healthy cells can also be destroyed, so that radiation is rarely used to treat cancer that has spread to vital organs.
monoclonal antibody therapy is a promising new drug treatment that avoids many of the complications associated with chemotherapy. Monoclonal antibodies block the growth signal receptor on the surface of cancer cells to stop them from growing and spreading. Side effects are similar to symptoms of allergic reactions.
Anti-angiogenesis therapy is an exciting advance in the treatment of cancer. In combination with chemotherapy, can prolong the life of colorectal cancer patients by five months. It works by inhibiting the production of new blood vessels within the tumor. Without adequate blood supply, tumors can not grow.
After colon cancer has metastasized, it tends to be thought of as a treat than izlječiv.Duljine and quality of life for individuals diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer depends on several factors and can not always predict. Some people respond very well to available treatments and can outlive their original forecasts for months or even years.