Colorectal Cancer

What is Colorectal Cancer?

Colorectal cancer is a type of cancer that usually begins as a growth, known as a polyp, forming inside the large intestines in the colon or rectum. As the polyp grows it can become invasive and develop into a cancer. The conventional naming of a colon cancer or a rectal cancer depends on the part of the large bowel that the tumor originates in. Collectively they are referred to as colorectal cancer. Since nearly all colorectal cancer starts as a polyp, if we catch a pre-cancerous lesion or polyp and remove it, we can actually prevent colorectal cancer from occurring.

What are the Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer?

Changes in bowel habits
Blood in the stool
Changes in the appearance of bowel movements
Abdominal pain
Unexplained weight loss
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation
Fatigue
Incomplete bowel movements or stool that’s different in size, shape or color than your norm

What are the Risk Factors?

Being 45 years old or older
Having a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps
Having a personal history of colorectal polyps, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, pelvic radiation or inflammatory bowel disease
Having certain inherited genetic changes
Consuming alcohol and/or smoking cigarettes
Obesity

What are the Preventative Measures?

Physical activity
Aspirin
Diets low in red meat and processed meat
Diets high in fruits and vegtables, calcium, folate
Normal body weight
Smokin cessation, limited alcholol intake
Screening and polyp removal

What Should I Know About Screenings?

Screenings for colorectal cancer can help find cancerous polyps at an early stage and remove them before they develop into cancer. They are recommended for those 45 and older. Doctors may perform:

A colonoscopy to look inside the rectum and colon, or a virtual colonoscopy using x-rays
A fecal occult blood test to check for signs of blood in stool
A sigmoidoscopy to look inside the rectum and the lower portion of the colon (sigmoid) for polyps, abnormal areas or cancer
A DNA stool test to check stool cells for genetic changes that might indicate colorectal cancer, polyps or blood in the stool
CT colongraphy: a imaging study to look for polyps or masses

What Happens After Diagnosis?

After a diagnosis, tests are performed to detect if cancer cells have spread outside the colon or rectum or to other parts of the body. Cancer can spread through nearby tissue, through vessels in the lymph system to lymph nodes and other parts of the body or via blood vessels to other organs. The stages of colorectal cancer are categorized from Stage 0 to Stage IV, with Stage IV indicating the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

What are the Types of Treatment for Colorectal Cancer?

Surgery to remove the cancer via an operation. This is the most common treatment type. This can often be done minimally invasive via laparoscopic or robotic techniques.
Chemotherapy using drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells
Radiation therapy using high-energy x-rays and other types of radiation to kill or stop the growth of cancer cells
Targeted therapy using certain types of drugs, such as monoclonal antibodies, to target specific cancer cells
Immunotherapy using substances made naturally in the body or in a laboratory setting to boost the body’s natural defenses against cancer

Latest advancements:

Overall, incidents of colorectal cancer are declining but researchers are seeing slight increases in incidents and death rates in younger men and women, ages 20 to 49 years old. , most drastically in the 40-49 years old. Due to the rise in younger patients, screening guidelines have changed to recommended screening start at age 45 for everyone and earlier for those with high risk criteria such as family history. Experts have determined new treatments and increased screenings have led to an increase in survival rates. New methods to prevent colorectal cancer are currently being studied in clinical trials.

Accreditations:

Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute is accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) of the American College of Surgeons, which focuses on reducing variations in outcomes for rectal cancer patients and grants accreditation only to those programs committed to providing the best possible care to patients with rectal cancer.