Colon Cancer
Colon Cancer is one of the most dreadful Cancers which prevail across the world.
What is Colon Cancer?
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is a term used for the group of cancers that affect the gastrointestinal tract and other organs that are contained within the digestive system, including the esophagus, pancreas, stomach, colon, rectum, anus, liver, biliary system, and small intestine.
There are two types of Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer
• Colorectal Cancer
• Stomach Cancer
Frequently Asked Question About Colon Cancer
• Bleeding through stools
• Bloating of Abdomen
• Change on Bowel habits
• Alternating Constipation and Diarrhea
• Sometimes just Anemia
- By careful clinical examination
- By doing Biopsy. It is done through a procedure called as Colonoscopy.
Colonoscopy helps to find Ulcers, Tumors, areas of inflammation or bleeding in the large intestine. In Colonoscopy a tube is inserted through the large intestine and the internal structure of the large intestine is examined and necessary Biopsy is taken.
• Sometimes a Citi scan is done and MRI is preferred in certain areas.
• PET scan (Positron Emission Tomography) is rarely done and there are other blood investigations as well.
Colorectal Cancer is nowadays treated with minimal access. The main treatment in this cancer is basically a surgery which forms a main part of this cancer.
Surgery is nowadays Laparoscopic assisted which means instead of requiring large motility incisions, blood can now do be taken by very small incisions and doing the same surgery.
Minimally access surgery is now a proven method worldwide and has been adopted since its early times by Dr. Anil Heroor. We have done more than 600 cases of Colorectal Cancer by this means and have also published a paper regarding our experiences of the same.
The other treatments which are required for Colorectal Cancer are Chemotherapy & Radiation.
Nowadays targeted Chemotherapy is a therapy that directly goes to the cancer cells and minimizes the other side effects of Chemotherapy.
Radiation is also required in treatment of Colorectal Cancer especially in the Cancer of the Rectum or the last end of the large intestine. Radiation is now done pre-operatively or before surgery as it has been proven that it helps to improve the survival and save the Sphincter. Because of all these techniques many patients can get operated without sacrificing the normal passage of passing stools and Sphincter preserving surgery can be done.
