In Memory Of: MARY ANN MAGDOS 8-15-25 to 6-25-85
I've put off writing about colon cancer since I've started writing for Suite 101. My mother was diagnosed with colon cancer in the begining of 1984. I was in my early twenties, my father had passed away years before and I am an only child, with no family near by. She only lived a year after her diagnosis and it was one of the hardest years of my life.
What is Colon Cancer?
The colon is apart of the body's digestive system. The purpose of the digestive system is to remove nutrients (vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and water) from the foods eaten and to store the waste until it passes out of the body. The digestive system is made up of the ESOPHAGUS, STOMACH, and the small and large INTESTINES. The last 6 feet of intestines is called the Large BOWEL or COLON. Tumors of the colon are growths arising from the inner wall of the large intestines. Benign tumors of the large intestines are called POLYPS. Malignant tumors of the large intestines are cancers. Benign polyps do not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body. Benign polyps can easily be removed during a colonoscopy, and are not threatening. If benign polyps are not removed from the large intestines, they can become malignant over time. Most cancers of the large intestines are belived to have developed from polyps.
Symptoms of Colon Cancer
Symptoms of colon cancer are numerous and non-specific. They include: fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, change in bowel habits, diarrhea, constipation, red or dark blood in stool, weight loss, abdominal pain, cramps, or bloating.
What are the treatments and survival for colon cancer?
Surgery is the most common treatment for colon cancer. During surgery, the tumor, a small piece of the surrounding healthy bowel, and adjacent lymph nodes are removed. The long term prognosis after surgery depends on whether the cancer has spread to other organs. The risk of metastsis is proportional to the depth of penetration of the cancer into the bowel wall. In patients with early colon cancer which is limited to the superficial layer of the bowel wall, surgery is often the only treatment needed. These patients can experience long term survival. In patients with advanced colon cancer, wherein the tumor penetrated beyond the bowel wall and there is evidence of metastasis to distant organs, the five year survival rate is less than 10%.
Go To Page: 1 2
| Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: | View all related messages |
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Lauren Parthun's Cancer Recovery topic, please visit the Discussions page.