Colon cancer, Colorectal cancer or Colon cancer is a cancer of the bowel. In particular of the large intestine or rectum, more rarely in the small intestine or anal area. Typical early symptoms are blood in the stool and pain in the bowel area. Without treatment, the disease usually ends fatally.
What is colon cancer?
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Colon cancer can develop in any of the three areas of the colon. This includes the colon, small intestine, and the anal area. The large intestine itself also consists of the rectum or rectum, the appendix and the colon. The colon cancer or tumor can arise from the intestinal mucosa.
Colon cancer is most common in the large intestine (colon carcinoma) or rectum or rectum (rectal carcinoma). Tumors in the small intestine and anal area are more rare.
Colon cancer continues to occur mostly in older people over the age of 40. The higher the age, the higher the risk of developing colon cancer. However, every year in Germany only about 0.045 percent of the population develop these malignant intestinal tumors.
causes
The causes of colon cancer can usually be classified into three factors.
1. Family or inheritable causes
2. Chronic bowel disease
3. Diet
4. Lifestyle
Hereditary and genetic causes:
Among the hereditary causes of colon cancer, genetic defects, i.e. errors in the genetic make-up, come into consideration. Certain risk syndromes play a decisive role: Gardner syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), Lynch syndrome and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. These hereditary risk factors are also called hereditary predisposition.
Chronic bowel disease:
Chronic intestinal diseases primarily include Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. These diseases can appear at a young age and develop into chronic bowel diseases. This is usually characterized by constant diarrhea and blood in the stool
Nutrition:
Likewise, a diet high in fats and low in fiber can promote the development of colon cancer. Salty food (e.g. cured meat, pretzel sticks, smoked food) is also responsible for colon cancer.
Way of life:
In addition to poor nutrition, there is often a bad lifestyle. A lack of exercise, smoking and being overweight are the main causes of the development of tumors and especially of colon cancer.
Symptoms, ailments & signs
In the early stages, colon cancer causes only very unspecific symptoms that are usually not associated with the digestive tract. These include unclear weight loss, pale skin, decreased performance and severe fatigue. Occasionally, a slight fever occurs, and those affected often complain of increased night sweats.
If the tumor spreads in the intestine, visible blood in the stool becomes visible: light red blood deposits mostly come from the rectum, a lump in the upper part of the intestine is noticeable through dark to blackish blood. If the skin is noticeably pale, this may indicate anemia due to long-term blood loss.
Other warning signs are a change between constipation and diarrhea, frequent urge to defecate and gas, which can be accompanied by involuntary defecation. The stool often has a purulent, putrid odor, and slimy stool admixtures are also possible. Colon cancer should also be considered in the case of recurrent cramp-like abdominal pain, prolonged loss of appetite, frequent nausea and increased bloating.
Depending on the location of the tumor, pain may occur during bowel movements; if the rectum is narrowed, the stool is often pencil-thin. A very large lump may appear as a palpable induration in the abdomen; in advanced stages, a tumor can cause a complete intestinal obstruction.
course
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Colonoscopy of the large intestine for colorectal cancer
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Complications that can occur in the context of colon cancer are: anemia, internal bleeding, pain during bowel movements (bowel obstruction), rupture of the bowel and peritonitis (peritonitis). The last three illnesses require an operation immediately.
Complications
Colon cancer does not always have to lead to complications. With timely diagnosis of the disease and appropriate treatment, some patients can be cured. However, there are typical complications that cannot be ruled out in this disease. This includes the so-called ileus. The ileus is a blockage of the intestine that is caused by the tumor.
A breakthrough of the intestine is also possible. As a result, severe inflammation of the peritoneum, also called peritonitis, can occur. In the worst case, this condition can be fatal and must therefore be treated immediately by intensive care. These two complications typically occur in colon cancer at a later stage.
Another possible complication of this condition is transfer to nearby organs. Colon cancer can affect the vagina, bladder or liver, among others. In some cases, a vital blood vessel is pinched off. As a result, the entire intestine can die or other vital organs can be severely restricted in their function. In a late stage of colon cancer, metastasis to the liver may occur. Subsequently, this leads to the failure of this organ.
This also results in complications such as coagulation disorders, clouding of consciousness and edema. Infestation of the lungs is also possible. This manifests itself in a bloody cough and shortness of breath. Colon cancer can also spread through the lymph. Typically, the lymph nodes of the main artery, groin or pelvis are affected. These lymph nodes cause severe pain and subsequently weaken the patient's immune system.
When should you go to the doctor?
A doctor should be consulted if blood is excreted unabated after several bowel movements. If there is pain in the abdomen that cannot be explained and is perceived as unusual, further examinations should take place. If the pain increases or spreads, a doctor's visit is necessary. If daily work can no longer be carried out due to the complaints, the cause should be clarified.
Before taking any pain reliever medication, it is necessary to consult a doctor in order to avoid additional risks. If the symptoms occur even though a healthy and easily digestible diet has been consumed for several days and sufficient fluids have been consumed, they are considered unusual and must be examined. Stinging and pulling sensations in the abdomen, numbness and growths must be clarified by a doctor. Persistent diarrhea, flatulence or a permanent feeling of fullness and pressure should also be examined by a doctor.
If the person concerned suffers from an inexplicable lack of energy, malaise or general physical weakness that lasts for several days or weeks, a doctor is recommended. A doctor should also be consulted if intolerance to familiar foods occurs or a changed and inexplicable feeling of inner restlessness sets in. If there have been intestinal diseases in the past or within the family, regular check-ups and preventive examinations should always take place.
Doctors & therapists in your area
Treatment & Therapy
The therapy or treatment of colorectal cancer usually takes place, depending on the stage of the cancer, by a combination of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. An operation is supposed to reduce or remove the intestinal cancer. Radiotherapy or chemotherapy then follows. Its main purpose is to kill the remaining cancer cells. Radiation therapy is applied locally and chemotherapy also fights metastases throughout the body.
If the colon cancer is very advanced, a cure is usually no longer possible. Nevertheless, modern treatment methods, especially in chemotherapy, and medication can increase or extend the chances of survival. The general quality of life should also be improved.
The drugs used in colon cancer therapy and chemotherapy also have severe side effects in some cases. Hair loss, diarrhea and loss of appetite are the main undesirable side effects. However, these side effects quickly disappear after successful therapy. Other modern treatment methods are: laser therapy and heat therapy. You can find out more about this from your treating doctor.
Outlook & forecast
The prognosis for colon cancer is more favorable the sooner the disease is recognized. If small tumors can be surgically removed before they affect adjacent lymph nodes or form daughter tumors (metastases) in organs further away, a long-term healing can be achieved with a high probability.
The success of an operation depends heavily on the location and aggressiveness of the tumor, the quality of the operating doctor and the general condition of the patient. Even after a successful operation, there is a risk of a relapse, especially within the first five years, which can be detected early through regular follow-up examinations.
As the colon cancer progresses, the chances of recovery decrease: lymph node involvement lowers the 5-year survival rate to around 50 percent, the spread of the tumor to other organs further worsens the prospects. If the liver or lungs are affected, the daughter tumors can often be surgically removed, which improves the prognosis.
If an operation is not possible, chemotherapy occasionally succeeds in containing or slowing down the growth of the metastases: this can often increase life expectancy by a few months. If these measures do not have any effect, the chances of complete healing are to be assessed as low - in this case the aim of treatment is primarily pain relief and the best possible preservation of quality of life.
prevention
If there are no hereditary or genetic diseases, colon cancer can be prevented quite well. The main focus of prevention should be a healthy lifestyle with plenty of exercise and sport, as well as a healthy diet rich in fiber. Avoid fatty foods, smoking, a lot of alcohol and little exercise.
Aftercare
After colon cancer treatment has been completed, the body needs time to fully regenerate. Colon cancer follow-up is concerned with initiating new therapeutic measures immediately if a new tumor forms. Information about therapeutic approaches is essential. These are in the operative as well as chemotherapeutic area. If necessary, blood tests are carried out to determine the carcinoembryonic antigen, or the CEA value for short.
This is a guideline value for the transformation of healthy body cells into tumor cells. Complete monitoring of the regeneration process is important. This is the only way to recognize a tumor relapse or the formation of metastases. For a new healing process, the patient must be in a state of health that allows medical care.
Follow-up care includes regular checkups by the doctor. The number of these depends on the severity and therapeutic success of the previous cancer. In some cases it may not be possible to completely remove the tissue growth. In this case, particular attention is paid to the tumor region, degree of training and severity during the medical inspection.
For the most part, tumor formation occurs again within two years. If this period is exceeded and there is no sign of new colon cancer, the likelihood of it also decreases. Follow-up care will be discontinued accordingly. However, it is advisable to undergo regular colonoscopies for early detection.
You can do that yourself
Even if the diagnosis of colon cancer means bad news for most of those affected, it does not mean that there are no ways to maintain the quality of life and help shape the healing process yourself.
Scientific studies show that the right diet can help to positively influence the chances of recovery. For example, the spice turmeric has been shown to be effective against tumor cells. The addition of black pepper increases the bioavailability of turmeric by two thousand times.
In addition, the consumption of green leafy vegetables is beneficial for healing, as the chlorophyll it contains can destroy tumor cells and shrink the cancer. In addition, it has been scientifically confirmed that the antioxidants contained in soft fruits significantly slow down cancer growth.
In the course of conventional medical measures such as chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, the intestinal flora is massively damaged. The development and rehabilitation of the intestinal flora can be positively supported by adding beneficial microorganisms, such as those found in sauerkraut, vegetable juices, kefir and fermented grains.
Strengthening the immune system is the most important factor in the recovery process. Here, not only nutrition is important, but also exercise that is dependent on age and health. Positive thoughts as well as the inner conviction that you can defy the disease determine the chances and course of recovery.
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