Colon Cancer – Symptoms, Stages and Treatment

Colon disease is created from polyps (developments) in your colon’s inward covering. Medical services suppliers have screening tests and therapies that identify and eliminate precancerous polyps. If untreated, colon malignant growth might spread to different regions of your body. Because of these tests, early therapy, and new sorts of therapy, less individuals are biting the dust from colon malignant growth.

In this blog, we will try to explain to you what colon cancer is and how you can detect it early and start the correct treatment.

What is Colon Cancer?

Colon disease is a sort of malignant growth that starts in the digestive organ (colon). The colon is the last piece of the intestinal system. Colon disease commonly influences more established grown-ups, however, it can occur at whatever stage in life. It normally starts as little, noncancerous (harmless) bunches of cells called polyps that structure within the colon. Over the long run, a portion of these polyps can become colon diseases.

Polyps might be little and produce barely any side effects. Consequently, specialists prescribe standard screening tests to assist with forestalling colon malignant growth by recognizing and eliminating polyps before they transform into disease.

Now listing the roots of Colon Cancer below:

Symptoms of Colon Cancer

During stage 1 of colon cancer, no obvious signs or symptoms may have developed. As symptoms develop, they may vary depending on the tumor’s size and location in the large intestine. Early symptoms may affect only the colon and result in changes in bowel habits. As the cancer grows, it may spread, producing systemic symptoms that affect the whole body, such as fatigue and weight loss. Some changes in bowels habits that may be considered colon cancer signs include:

1. Change in frequency of bowel movements
2. Constipation
3. Change in consistency of stool (loose or watery stools)
4. Blood in stools (either as bright red spots or dark tar-like stools)
5. Rectal bleeding
6. Abdominal pain, bloating, or cramps
7. A persistent feeling of not being able to completely empty the bowels

Staging is a way of describing where the cancer is located, if or where it has spread, and whether it is affecting other parts of the body. In this Blog, we will be providing detailed information about the system used to find the stage of colorectal cancer and the stage groups for colorectal cancer, such as stage II cancer or stage IV cancer.

Early Stage Colon Cancer Stool Pictures

Identifying early stage colon cancer through stool characteristics can be challenging but critical for early diagnosis and treatment. Early stage colon cancer stool pictures can reveal various types of changes that may indicate the presence of cancer. Here are some stool types to be aware of:

1. Normal Stool: Typically, normal stool is brown and well-formed. Any significant changes from this standard could be a sign of a problem.
2. Blood in Stool: Bright red spots or dark tar-like stools can indicate bleeding in the colon. Early stage colon cancer stool pictures often show these symptoms, which warrant immediate medical attention.
3. Loose or Watery Stool: Persistent diarrhea or loose stools can be a sign of colon cancer, especially if there are no other apparent causes.
4. Pencil-Thin Stool: A change to pencil-thin stool may suggest a narrowing of the colon due to a tumor, a common sign seen in early stage colon cancer stool pictures.
5. Mucus in Stool: The presence of mucus in the stool can also be a symptom, potentially indicating a tumor causing an obstruction or irritation in the colon.

Monitoring stool for these changes and comparing them to early stage colon cancer stool pictures can aid in recognizing symptoms early. If you notice any unusual changes in your bowel habits or stool, consult a healthcare professional promptly for further evaluation and testing. Early detection significantly improves the chances of successful treatment and outcomes.

Stages of Colon Cancer

Within each of the three categories, the cancer is classified even further and assigned a number and letter to indicate the extent of the disease. These assignments are based on the structure of the colon and how far the cancer has grown through the layers of the colon wall.

The stages of colon cancer are as follows:

Stage 0

This is the earliest stage of colon cancer. In stage 0, the cancer has not grown beyond the mucosa, or the innermost layer of the colon.

Stage 1

In stage 1 colon cancer, the cancer has grown into the innermost layer (or mucosa) to the next layer of the colon (the submucosa). It may have also grown into a muscular layer called the muscularis propria. It has not spread to the lymph nodes.

Stage 1 Colon Cancer Symptoms
Recognizing the symptoms of stage 1 colon cancer early can lead to more effective treatment and better outcomes. Although stage 1 colon cancer may not always present noticeable symptoms, some common signs to watch for include:

1. 1. Changes in Bowel Habits: Persistent diarrhea, constipation, or a feeling that the bowel does not empty completely.
   Blood in Stool: Bright red or very dark blood in the stool can indicate bleeding in the colon.
   
   2. Abdominal Discomfort: Frequent gas pains, bloating, fullness, or cramps.
   
   3. Unexplained Weight Loss: Sudden weight loss without a known reason can be a warning sign.
   
   4. Fatigue and Weakness: Persistent tiredness and weakness that do not improve with rest.

Early detection of these symptoms can be crucial. If you experience any of these stage 1 colon cancer symptoms, it is important to consult with a healthcare provider promptly. Regular screenings, such as colonoscopies, can also help detect stage 1 colon cancer before symptoms even appear. Being aware of and understanding stage 1 colon cancer symptoms can lead to early diagnosis and a higher chance of successful treatment.

Stage 2: This stage is further divided into subcategories:

• Stage 2A: The cancer has spread through the muscle layer of the colon wall but has not reached nearby tissues.
• Stage 2B: The cancer has grown through the outermost layers of the colon but has not spread to nearby organs.
• Stage 2C: The cancer has spread through the wall of the colon and into nearby structures or organs.

Stage 3: This stage is also divided into subcategories:

• Stage 3A: The cancer has spread to one to three nearby lymph nodes but not to distant parts of the body.
• Stage 3B: The cancer has spread to four to six nearby lymph nodes.
• Stage 3C: The cancer has spread to seven or more nearby lymph nodes but not to distant parts of the body.

Stage 4: This is the most advanced stage, where the cancer has spread to distant organs, such as the liver or lungs.

• Stage 4A: The cancer has spread to one distant organ or set of lymph nodes.
• Stage 4B: The cancer has spread to more than one distant organ or part of the body.
• Stage 4C: The cancer has spread to distant parts of the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity).

Understanding the stages of colon cancer is crucial for determining the most appropriate treatment options and predicting the likely outcome for the patient.

Colon Cancer: Prevention and Treatment

Get evaluated for colorectal disease. Screenings are tests that search for the disease before signs and side effects create. These tests can find colon or rectal disease prior to when medicines are bound to find success.

Eat loads of vegetables, natural products, and entire grains. Eats less carbs that incorporate bunches of vegetables, natural products, and entire grains have been connected with a diminished gamble of colon or rectal malignant growth.

Get a customary activity. In the event that you are not truly dynamic, you might have a more prominent possibility of creating colorectal disease. Being more dynamic might assist with diminishing your gamble.

Assume command over your weight. Being overweight or fat expands your gamble of getting and biting the dust from colon or rectal malignant growth. Eating better and expanding your actual work can assist you with controlling your weight.

Treatments of Colon Cancer

Endoscopic Treatment:

Frequently, polyps are securely taken out during a colonoscopy. A few extremely huge polyps might be eliminated without a medical procedure by uniquely prepared gastroenterologists known as helpful endoscopists. In the event that the polyps were enormous, your PCP might have denoted the polypectomy (polyp evacuation) site with an exceptional ink during the colonoscopy. 

Surgery:

The therapy of decision for colon malignant growth is careful resection, which includes eliminating the disease through medical procedure. Medical procedure is performed to eliminate the malignant growth totally and reproduce the gut, if conceivable, so your postoperative entrail capability is typical or close to ordinary.

Chemotherapy:

Chemotherapy drugs head out through the circulatory system to annihilate cancer cells that might have split away from unique cancer and could start to fill again somewhere else in the body. They might be directed orally or intravenously.

Chemotherapy can be utilised at different phases of colon malignant growth treatment. Some time, chemotherapy is given before a medical procedure to recoil growth and diminish the degree of medical procedure. This is called neoadjuvant treatment.

Conclusion

Colon cancer is a common malignancy that causes a significant number of deaths. The symptoms of colon cancer are vague and, therefore, require evaluation by health care professionals. Through screening it is potentially preventable and highly curable with surgery alone when diagnosed at an early stage. 

Modern chemotherapy continues to improve survival for patients with more advanced stages. Colon cancer treatment often requires a team of expert physicians, including colorectal surgeons, medical oncologists, radiologists, and pathologists. These doctors work with the patient to create the safest and most effective therapy plan.

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