If colon cancer is not treated, it can spread quickly to other areas, and some people may have a shorter life expectancy than those who are treated. Surgery and chemotherapy are common treatments and are most effective in the early stages.
Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States. Treatment is available and most effective when diagnosed in the early stages by a medical professional.
With treatment, most people with colon cancer can live at least five years. If left untreated, cancer is more likely to spread to other organs, such as the liver or brain. Treatment may become ineffective if the disease spreads to distant areas.
Cancer treatment often causes some side effects. Some people choose not to receive treatment to avoid side effects if the cancer has already spread to distant parts of the body or if previous treatment has not worked. Without treatment, the expected survival rate may be shortened.
Without treatment, colon cancer can progress rapidly. Few studies have investigated how quickly untreated colon cancer progresses because:
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Stage 1-3 colon cancer
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Overall, the researchers found that:
- The two-year survival rate was 78.9% for those who underwent surgery, compared to 38.9% for those who did not undergo surgery.
- The 5-year survival rate was 11.3% for those who did not undergo surgery, compared with 59.6% for those who did not undergo surgery.
stage 4 cancer
When colon cancer spreads to distant parts of the body, it is called stage 4 or metastatic cancer. Stage 4 cancer is generally not considered curable, so treatment is usually palliative.
Palliative treatment can extend survival by up to 100% for patients with stage 4 colon cancer.
Treatment for colon cancer may improve your chances of survival or extend your survival. Let’s take a look at our relatives who have been together for 5 years.
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stage 1 and 2
Treatment for stage 1 and 2 colon cancer usually involves two types of surgery called excision and anastomosis. Resection involves removing part of the intestine, and anastomosis aims to reconnect the remaining part.
Chemotherapy is not usually added to the plan, but researchers are currently investigating whether chemotherapy may improve survival after surgery.
Click here for more information about colorectal cancer surgery.
stage 3
Treatment for stage 3 colon cancer is often resection and anastomosis, which may be followed by chemotherapy.
Treatment for stage 4 or recurrent cancer
Treatment for stage 4 colon cancer is usually palliative.
At this stage, your doctor may recommend new treatments such as targeted therapy or immunotherapy.
Targeted therapy is a non-chemotherapy option that specifically targets certain proteins within cancer cells. It may have fewer or different side effects compared to chemotherapy. Immunotherapy drugs stimulate the immune system to protect the body from cancer cells.
Stage 4 or recurrent colon cancer can be treated by:
- Surgery to remove the tumor
- Surgery to remove part of an organ such as the lungs, liver, or ovaries
- Radiation therapy or chemotherapy as palliative therapy
- targeted therapy
- immunotherapy
- Clinical trials of new chemotherapy or targeted therapies
If colon cancer is left untreated, it can grow larger. Eventually, vital organs may malfunction and death may occur.
Large tumors are more likely to cause symptoms such as:
Large tumors can also cause partial or complete intestinal obstruction. Intestinal obstruction is a medical emergency and can cause:
- Severe pain
- abdominal distension
- vomiting
- unable to pass gas or stool
- severe convulsions
Cancer may eventually grow to tissues near the colon, such as lymph nodes or blood vessels. Cancer cells move through these systems and
- liver
- brain
- lung
- distant lymph nodes
- The lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum)
Spreading to distant locations can cause other symptoms, including:
What are the chances of being cured of colon cancer?
Recovery from colon cancer improves the sooner the cancer is diagnosed and treated. People with cancer confined to the colon live for at least five years.
Can you survive colon cancer without chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy is generally one of the main treatments for advanced colon cancer.Chemotherapy may not be necessary for treatment
Is remission possible even with stage 4 colon cancer?
In rare cases, even stage 4 colon cancer can go into remission.in
Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States. Without treatment, colon cancer can spread quickly to other parts of the body. If diagnosed and treated early, remission is often possible. Although stage 4 cancer rarely goes into remission, it is still possible.