Colon Cancer
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What You Need To Know About Colon & Rectal Cancer
Introduction
Cancer of the colon or rectum is also called colorectal cancer. In the United States, colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men, after skin, prostate, and lung cancer. It is also the fourth most common cancer in women, after skin, lung, and breast cancer.
This National Cancer Institute (NCI) booklet (NIH Publication No. 03-1552) has important information about the possible causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of colorectal cancer. It also has information to help patients cope with the disease.
Scientists are studying colorectal cancer to learn more about it. They are finding out more about its causes and are exploring new ways to prevent, detect, and treat it. This research is increasing our knowledge about colorectal cancer. The NCI provides the most up-to-date information by telephone and on the Internet:
* Telephone (1-800-4-CANCER): Information Specialists at NCI's Cancer Information Service can answer questions about cancer and can send materials published by NCI.
* Internet (): Cancer.gov is NCI's Web site. It has a wide range of information that is updated regularly. People can ask questions online and get immediate help through LiveHelp. Many NCI booklets and fact sheets can be viewed at http://cancer.gov/publications. People in the United States and its territories may use this Web site to order publications. This Web site also explains how people outside the United States can mail or fax their requests for NCI publications.
The Colon and Rectum
The colon and rectum are parts of the digestive system. They form a long, muscular tube called the large intestine (also called the large bowel). The colon is the first 4 to 5 feet of the large intestine, and the rectum is the last 4 to 5 inches. The part of the colon that joins to the rectum is the sigmoid colon. The part that joins to the small intestine is the cecum.
Partly digested food enters the colon from the small intestine. The colon removes water and nutrients from the food and stores the rest as waste. The waste passes from the colon into the rectum and then out of the body through the anus.
Understanding Cancer
Cancer begins in cells, the building blocks that make up tissues. Tissues make up the organs of the body.
Normally, cells grow and divide to form new cells as the body needs them. When cells grow old, they die, and new cells take their place.
Sometimes this orderly process goes wrong. New cells form when the body does not need them, and cells do not die when they should. These extra cells can form a mass of tissue called a growth or tumor.
Tumors can be benign or malignant:
* Benign tumors are not cancer:
o Benign tumors are rarely life-threatening.
o Generally, benign tumors can be removed, and they usually do not grow back.
o Cells from benign tumors do not invade the tissues around them.
o Cells from benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body.
* Malignant tumors are cancer:
o Malignant tumors are generally more serious than benign tumors. They may be life-threatening.
o Malignant tumors usually can be removed, but sometimes they grow back.
o Cells from malignant tumors can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs.
o Cells from malignant tumors can spread to other parts of the body. The cells spread by breaking away from the original cancer (primary tumor) and entering the bloodstream or lymphatic system. They invade other organs, forming new tumors and damaging these organs. The spread of cancer is called metastasis.
Colorectal Cancer
Cancer that begins in the colon is called colon cancer, and cancer that begins in the rectum is called rectal cancer. Cancers affecting either of these organs may also be called colorectal cancer.
When colorectal cancer spreads outside the colon or rectum, cancer cells are often found in nearby lymph nodes. If cancer cells have reached these nodes, they may also have spread to other lymph nodes, the liver, or other organs.
When cancer spreads (metastasizes) from its original place to another part of the body, the new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells and the same name as the primary tumor. For example, if colorectal cancer spreads to the liver, the cancer cells in the liver are actually colorectal cancer cells. The disease is metastatic colorectal cancer, not liver cancer. It is treated as colorectal cancer, not liver cancer. Doctors sometimes call the new tumor "distant" or metastatic disease.
___________________
Colon Cancer (Colorectal Cancer)
Treatment
Surgery is the treatment of choice for colorectal cancer. Treatment depends on the stage of the disease and the overall health of the patient. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be used as adjuvant treatment (i.e., in addition to surgery).
Advertising Disclaimer
Surgery
Radical bowel resection, also called partial colectomy and hemicolectomy, is used to treat 80-90% of colorectal cancer patients. This procedure may be performed through a large incision in the abdomen (called open surgery) or through several small incisions (called laparoscopic surgery).
In this procedure, the tumor is located using a no-touch technique (i.e., the surgeon locates the tumor without manipulating the colon to avoid releasing cancer cells into the bloodstream). The segment of the colon that contains the tumor and the nearby lymph nodes are removed and healthy segments of the colon are reconnected, if possible (called end-to-end anastomosis). Removal of the lymph nodes is called lymphadenectomy.
If the colon cannot be reconnected, a temporary or permanent colostomy is performed. Approximately 15% of patients require a permanent colostomy.
Radical bowel resection is performed under general anesthesia. Several days before surgery, antibiotics are prescribed and the patient's diet is restricted to ensure that the entire colon is empty. These measures help reduce the risk for postoperative infection.
Recovery varies depending on the patient's age and overall health, and the extent of the surgery. After surgery, patients may experience pain, weakness, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Dietary modifications may be necessary until the digestive tract heals. Complications include the following:
* Allergic reaction to anesthesia
* Formation of a blockage of the intestine
* Formation of blood clots (e.g., pulmonary embolism)
* Infection
* Leakage at the reconnection site
Laparoscopic surgery (e.g., right or left hemicolectomy, partial colectomy) may result in a shorter hospital stay and a faster recovery time. Complications include injury to the colon or ureter (tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder), excess carbon dioxide in the blood (hypercapnia), and development of a hernia at the incision site.
Colorectal cancer that invades adjacent tissues or organs (e.g., stomach, liver, kidneys, small intestine, ovaries, abdominal wall) usually is treated by removal of the entire tumor, including part of the adjacent tissue or organ.
Surgical procedures used to treat metastatic colorectal cancer may include partial hepatectomy (removal of part of the liver) and oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries).
Advertising Disclaimer
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment (travels throughout the body via the bloodstream) that often uses a combination of drugs to slow tumor growth and destroy cancer cells. Drugs may be administered orally or intravenously (through a needle in a vein). In some cases, chemotherapy drugs can cause an allergic or hypersensitivity reaction. These reactions, which may be severe and are triggered by an immune system response, can occur immediately or within hours or days of treatment.
Chemotherapy is often used as a first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer to destroy cancer cells that have metastasized (spread). It also may be used prior to surgery (called neoadjuvant therapy) to shrink the tumor, may be administered following surgery (called adjuvant therapy), and may be combined with biological therapy (also called immunotherapy) and radiation therapy.
Newer combinations of chemotherapy drugs, such as FOLFOX (5-fluorouracil [5-FU], leucovorin, and oxaliplatin [Eloxatin®]) and FOFIRI (5-fluorouracil [5-FU], leucovorin, and irinotecan [Camptosar®]) may be used to prevent recurrence following surgery or to shrink the tumor prior to surgery.
A combination of chemotherapy drugs (5-fluorouracil [5-FU], leucovorin, and irinotecan [CPT11]), administered intravenously, is standard treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer. Side effects include diarrhea, mouth irritation (mucositis), low white blood cell count (e.g., neutropenia), and hair loss (alopecia).
Colorectal cancer with liver metastasis also may be treated using floxuridine (FUDR®) administered intra-arterially (i.e., through an artery). Side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and inflammation of the intestine (enteritis).
In addition to chemotherapy drugs, blocking agents (e.g., cetuximab [Erbitux®]) may also be used to treat metastatic colorectal cancer. These drugs prevent cancer cell receptors from receiving factors (e.g., epidermal growth factor) that cause cell growth, cell division, and additional metastasis. Blocking agents target specific cells so they usually do not cause systemic side effects. Side effects of these drugs include allergic reactions (e.g., difficulty breathing, hives, low blood pressure, rash).
Bevacizumab (Avastin®) may also be used to treat advanced colorectal cancer. This medication prevents new blood vessels, which are necessary for tumor growth, from forming. It does not affect normal tissues that already have an established blood supply. Side effects include blood clots and high blood pressure, which can be controlled with medication.
Panitumumab (Vectibix™) is the first entirely human monoclonal antibody approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat patients with metastatic colorectal cancer following chemotherapy. This medication is administered intravenously once every 2 weeks.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy, or biological therapy, attempts to stimulate the immune system to fight disease and protect the body from side effects of chemotherapy. Immunotherapy agents that may be used to treat colorectal cancer include bacilli Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and levamisole (Ergamisol®).
Immunotherapy may cause flu-like side effects such as the following:
* Chills
* Diarrhea
* Fever
* Loss of appetite
* Muscle aches and weakness
* Nausea and vomiting
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. External beam radiation (i.e., radiation from a machine outside the body) may be used in addition to surgery to treat colorectal cancer (called adjuvant therapy). It also may be used to relieve symptoms (called palliative treatment) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
Side effects include fatigue, hair loss, reddened skin, and swelling (edema). Medicines and other treatments can reduce the intensity of the side effects. As with other cancer treatments, the incidence of side effects varies with patient health and the exact nature of the treatment.
Follow-up Treatment
Follow-up care is recommended for colorectal cancer patients to ensure that recurrent or metastatic disease is detected as soon as possible. Patients should undergo regular physical examinations, fecal occult blood tests, colonoscopies, CT scans, and chest x-rays.
Prognosis
Prognosis depends on the stage of the disease and the overall health of the patient. Overall, colorectal cancer patients have a 5-year survival rate of about 61%. The 5-year survival rate is about 92% when the disease is treated before it has spread (metastasized); 64% when the cancer has spread to nearby organs or lymph nodes; and 7% when it has spread to other parts of the body (e.g., liver, lungs).
Prevention
Early detection and removal of intestinal polyps may help prevent colorectal cancer. Studies are being conducted to determine if reducing risk factors (e.g., smoking, daily alcohol consumption), eating a low-fat, high-fiber diet, and increasing physical activity can help prevent the disease.
_________________________
Colon Cancer Symptoms
Cancer of the colon and rectum can exhibit itself in several ways. If you have any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical help.
You may notice bleeding from your rectum or blood mixed with your stool.
* People commonly attribute all rectal bleeding to hemorrhoids, thus preventing early diagnosis owing to lack of concern over "bleeding hemorrhoids."
* Rectal bleeding may be hidden and chronic and may show up as an iron deficiency anemia.
* It may be associated with fatigue and pale skin.
* It usually, but not always, can be detected through a fecal occult (hidden) blood test, in which samples of stool are submitted to a lab for detection of blood.
If the tumor gets large enough, it may completely or partially block your colon. You may notice the following symptoms of bowel obstruction:
* Abdominal distension: Your belly sticks out more than it did before without weight gain.
* Abdominal pain: This is rare in colon cancer. One cause is tearing (perforation) of the bowel. Leaking of bowel contents into the pelvis can cause inflammation (peritonitis) and infection.
* Unexplained, persistent nausea or vomiting
* Unexplained weight loss
* Change in frequency or character of stool (bowel movements)
* Small-caliber (narrow) or ribbon-like stools
* Sensation of incomplete evacuation after a bowel movement
* Rectal pain: Pain rarely occurs with colon cancer and usually indicates a bulky tumor in the rectum that may invade surrounding tissue.
Studies suggest that the average duration of symptoms (from onset to diagnosis) is 14 weeks. There is no association between overall duration of symptoms and the stage of your tumor.
_______________________
$450,000 Sweetener In Colon Cancer Battle
UK-based Association for International Cancer Research this week announced it will fund a Griffith University project led by Dr Joe Tiralongo to further develop a potential anti-cancer treatment that had shown promising results in lab tests.
The grant will enable the team to test a range of new 'designer' compounds on tumours in living cells.
Research leader Dr Joe Tiralongo of Griffith's Institute for Glycomics, Queensland said the compounds target a unique sugar, sialic acid, believed to give cancer cells their deadly ability to spread through the body.
"A significant number of studies have shown a consistent link between the amount of the sugar sialic acid on the surface of cancer cells, and the ability of that cancer to metastasise, or spread to other parts of the body," he said.
Sialic acid is found in cells throughout the body, giving, for example, saliva its characteristic stickiness, but it is abnormally expressed on cancer cells.
"It exists in much greater numbers on the surface of cancer cells. You could almost describe it as a 'glue' that helps cancer cells bond to other cells throughout the body," Dr Tiralongo said.
"We are working to tailor an 'inhibitor' that will block the mechanism that enables cancer cells to express this sugar on its surface."
"If progression can be slowed and the cancer contained to one part of the body, it becomes a lot easier to treat with surgery."
He said while colon cancer was the primary target, the team would also screen inhibitors against other aggressive cancers, including breast cancer and neuroblastoma.
"These cancers all over-express sialic acid, so in theory what works for one cancer could work for others.
Colon cancer is one of the most dangerous types of cancer and the second most common cause of death from cancer, with one in 18 Australian men and one in 26 women affected.
Australian National Health and Medical Research Council reports patients with a localized colon cancer have an 88 % chance of survival, however this drops to just seven per cent when the cancer has spread to other organs.
Association for International Cancer Research Scientific Co-ordinator Dr Mark Matfield said preventing tumours from spreading would be a new way of treating cancer by controlling it.
"It is the ability of cancer to spread around the body which makes it fatal," he said.
"It would not cure it but, in most cases it would make a cure unnecessary because a non-spreading tumour would not be a significant health problem."
----------------------------
Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
----------------------------
AICR, the Association for International Cancer Research, has been funding some of the best scientific research in the world for nearly 30 years. It supports fundamental research by both promising and prominent scientists to improve prevention, detection and treatment of the disease.
Introduction
Cancer of the colon or rectum is also called colorectal cancer. In the United States, colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men, after skin, prostate, and lung cancer. It is also the fourth most common cancer in women, after skin, lung, and breast cancer.
This National Cancer Institute (NCI) booklet (NIH Publication No. 03-1552) has important information about the possible causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of colorectal cancer. It also has information to help patients cope with the disease.
Scientists are studying colorectal cancer to learn more about it. They are finding out more about its causes and are exploring new ways to prevent, detect, and treat it. This research is increasing our knowledge about colorectal cancer. The NCI provides the most up-to-date information by telephone and on the Internet:
* Telephone (1-800-4-CANCER): Information Specialists at NCI's Cancer Information Service can answer questions about cancer and can send materials published by NCI.
* Internet (): Cancer.gov is NCI's Web site. It has a wide range of information that is updated regularly. People can ask questions online and get immediate help through LiveHelp. Many NCI booklets and fact sheets can be viewed at http://cancer.gov/publications. People in the United States and its territories may use this Web site to order publications. This Web site also explains how people outside the United States can mail or fax their requests for NCI publications.
The Colon and Rectum
The colon and rectum are parts of the digestive system. They form a long, muscular tube called the large intestine (also called the large bowel). The colon is the first 4 to 5 feet of the large intestine, and the rectum is the last 4 to 5 inches. The part of the colon that joins to the rectum is the sigmoid colon. The part that joins to the small intestine is the cecum.
Partly digested food enters the colon from the small intestine. The colon removes water and nutrients from the food and stores the rest as waste. The waste passes from the colon into the rectum and then out of the body through the anus.
Understanding Cancer
Cancer begins in cells, the building blocks that make up tissues. Tissues make up the organs of the body.
Normally, cells grow and divide to form new cells as the body needs them. When cells grow old, they die, and new cells take their place.
Sometimes this orderly process goes wrong. New cells form when the body does not need them, and cells do not die when they should. These extra cells can form a mass of tissue called a growth or tumor.
Tumors can be benign or malignant:
* Benign tumors are not cancer:
o Benign tumors are rarely life-threatening.
o Generally, benign tumors can be removed, and they usually do not grow back.
o Cells from benign tumors do not invade the tissues around them.
o Cells from benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body.
* Malignant tumors are cancer:
o Malignant tumors are generally more serious than benign tumors. They may be life-threatening.
o Malignant tumors usually can be removed, but sometimes they grow back.
o Cells from malignant tumors can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs.
o Cells from malignant tumors can spread to other parts of the body. The cells spread by breaking away from the original cancer (primary tumor) and entering the bloodstream or lymphatic system. They invade other organs, forming new tumors and damaging these organs. The spread of cancer is called metastasis.
Colorectal Cancer
Cancer that begins in the colon is called colon cancer, and cancer that begins in the rectum is called rectal cancer. Cancers affecting either of these organs may also be called colorectal cancer.
When colorectal cancer spreads outside the colon or rectum, cancer cells are often found in nearby lymph nodes. If cancer cells have reached these nodes, they may also have spread to other lymph nodes, the liver, or other organs.
When cancer spreads (metastasizes) from its original place to another part of the body, the new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells and the same name as the primary tumor. For example, if colorectal cancer spreads to the liver, the cancer cells in the liver are actually colorectal cancer cells. The disease is metastatic colorectal cancer, not liver cancer. It is treated as colorectal cancer, not liver cancer. Doctors sometimes call the new tumor "distant" or metastatic disease.
___________________
Colon Cancer (Colorectal Cancer)
Treatment
Surgery is the treatment of choice for colorectal cancer. Treatment depends on the stage of the disease and the overall health of the patient. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be used as adjuvant treatment (i.e., in addition to surgery).
Advertising Disclaimer
Surgery
Radical bowel resection, also called partial colectomy and hemicolectomy, is used to treat 80-90% of colorectal cancer patients. This procedure may be performed through a large incision in the abdomen (called open surgery) or through several small incisions (called laparoscopic surgery).
In this procedure, the tumor is located using a no-touch technique (i.e., the surgeon locates the tumor without manipulating the colon to avoid releasing cancer cells into the bloodstream). The segment of the colon that contains the tumor and the nearby lymph nodes are removed and healthy segments of the colon are reconnected, if possible (called end-to-end anastomosis). Removal of the lymph nodes is called lymphadenectomy.
If the colon cannot be reconnected, a temporary or permanent colostomy is performed. Approximately 15% of patients require a permanent colostomy.
Radical bowel resection is performed under general anesthesia. Several days before surgery, antibiotics are prescribed and the patient's diet is restricted to ensure that the entire colon is empty. These measures help reduce the risk for postoperative infection.
Recovery varies depending on the patient's age and overall health, and the extent of the surgery. After surgery, patients may experience pain, weakness, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Dietary modifications may be necessary until the digestive tract heals. Complications include the following:
* Allergic reaction to anesthesia
* Formation of a blockage of the intestine
* Formation of blood clots (e.g., pulmonary embolism)
* Infection
* Leakage at the reconnection site
Laparoscopic surgery (e.g., right or left hemicolectomy, partial colectomy) may result in a shorter hospital stay and a faster recovery time. Complications include injury to the colon or ureter (tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder), excess carbon dioxide in the blood (hypercapnia), and development of a hernia at the incision site.
Colorectal cancer that invades adjacent tissues or organs (e.g., stomach, liver, kidneys, small intestine, ovaries, abdominal wall) usually is treated by removal of the entire tumor, including part of the adjacent tissue or organ.
Surgical procedures used to treat metastatic colorectal cancer may include partial hepatectomy (removal of part of the liver) and oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries).
Advertising Disclaimer
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment (travels throughout the body via the bloodstream) that often uses a combination of drugs to slow tumor growth and destroy cancer cells. Drugs may be administered orally or intravenously (through a needle in a vein). In some cases, chemotherapy drugs can cause an allergic or hypersensitivity reaction. These reactions, which may be severe and are triggered by an immune system response, can occur immediately or within hours or days of treatment.
Chemotherapy is often used as a first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer to destroy cancer cells that have metastasized (spread). It also may be used prior to surgery (called neoadjuvant therapy) to shrink the tumor, may be administered following surgery (called adjuvant therapy), and may be combined with biological therapy (also called immunotherapy) and radiation therapy.
Newer combinations of chemotherapy drugs, such as FOLFOX (5-fluorouracil [5-FU], leucovorin, and oxaliplatin [Eloxatin®]) and FOFIRI (5-fluorouracil [5-FU], leucovorin, and irinotecan [Camptosar®]) may be used to prevent recurrence following surgery or to shrink the tumor prior to surgery.
A combination of chemotherapy drugs (5-fluorouracil [5-FU], leucovorin, and irinotecan [CPT11]), administered intravenously, is standard treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer. Side effects include diarrhea, mouth irritation (mucositis), low white blood cell count (e.g., neutropenia), and hair loss (alopecia).
Colorectal cancer with liver metastasis also may be treated using floxuridine (FUDR®) administered intra-arterially (i.e., through an artery). Side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and inflammation of the intestine (enteritis).
In addition to chemotherapy drugs, blocking agents (e.g., cetuximab [Erbitux®]) may also be used to treat metastatic colorectal cancer. These drugs prevent cancer cell receptors from receiving factors (e.g., epidermal growth factor) that cause cell growth, cell division, and additional metastasis. Blocking agents target specific cells so they usually do not cause systemic side effects. Side effects of these drugs include allergic reactions (e.g., difficulty breathing, hives, low blood pressure, rash).
Bevacizumab (Avastin®) may also be used to treat advanced colorectal cancer. This medication prevents new blood vessels, which are necessary for tumor growth, from forming. It does not affect normal tissues that already have an established blood supply. Side effects include blood clots and high blood pressure, which can be controlled with medication.
Panitumumab (Vectibix™) is the first entirely human monoclonal antibody approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat patients with metastatic colorectal cancer following chemotherapy. This medication is administered intravenously once every 2 weeks.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy, or biological therapy, attempts to stimulate the immune system to fight disease and protect the body from side effects of chemotherapy. Immunotherapy agents that may be used to treat colorectal cancer include bacilli Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and levamisole (Ergamisol®).
Immunotherapy may cause flu-like side effects such as the following:
* Chills
* Diarrhea
* Fever
* Loss of appetite
* Muscle aches and weakness
* Nausea and vomiting
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. External beam radiation (i.e., radiation from a machine outside the body) may be used in addition to surgery to treat colorectal cancer (called adjuvant therapy). It also may be used to relieve symptoms (called palliative treatment) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
Side effects include fatigue, hair loss, reddened skin, and swelling (edema). Medicines and other treatments can reduce the intensity of the side effects. As with other cancer treatments, the incidence of side effects varies with patient health and the exact nature of the treatment.
Follow-up Treatment
Follow-up care is recommended for colorectal cancer patients to ensure that recurrent or metastatic disease is detected as soon as possible. Patients should undergo regular physical examinations, fecal occult blood tests, colonoscopies, CT scans, and chest x-rays.
Prognosis
Prognosis depends on the stage of the disease and the overall health of the patient. Overall, colorectal cancer patients have a 5-year survival rate of about 61%. The 5-year survival rate is about 92% when the disease is treated before it has spread (metastasized); 64% when the cancer has spread to nearby organs or lymph nodes; and 7% when it has spread to other parts of the body (e.g., liver, lungs).
Prevention
Early detection and removal of intestinal polyps may help prevent colorectal cancer. Studies are being conducted to determine if reducing risk factors (e.g., smoking, daily alcohol consumption), eating a low-fat, high-fiber diet, and increasing physical activity can help prevent the disease.
_________________________
Colon Cancer Symptoms
Cancer of the colon and rectum can exhibit itself in several ways. If you have any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical help.
You may notice bleeding from your rectum or blood mixed with your stool.
* People commonly attribute all rectal bleeding to hemorrhoids, thus preventing early diagnosis owing to lack of concern over "bleeding hemorrhoids."
* Rectal bleeding may be hidden and chronic and may show up as an iron deficiency anemia.
* It may be associated with fatigue and pale skin.
* It usually, but not always, can be detected through a fecal occult (hidden) blood test, in which samples of stool are submitted to a lab for detection of blood.
If the tumor gets large enough, it may completely or partially block your colon. You may notice the following symptoms of bowel obstruction:
* Abdominal distension: Your belly sticks out more than it did before without weight gain.
* Abdominal pain: This is rare in colon cancer. One cause is tearing (perforation) of the bowel. Leaking of bowel contents into the pelvis can cause inflammation (peritonitis) and infection.
* Unexplained, persistent nausea or vomiting
* Unexplained weight loss
* Change in frequency or character of stool (bowel movements)
* Small-caliber (narrow) or ribbon-like stools
* Sensation of incomplete evacuation after a bowel movement
* Rectal pain: Pain rarely occurs with colon cancer and usually indicates a bulky tumor in the rectum that may invade surrounding tissue.
Studies suggest that the average duration of symptoms (from onset to diagnosis) is 14 weeks. There is no association between overall duration of symptoms and the stage of your tumor.
_______________________
$450,000 Sweetener In Colon Cancer Battle
UK-based Association for International Cancer Research this week announced it will fund a Griffith University project led by Dr Joe Tiralongo to further develop a potential anti-cancer treatment that had shown promising results in lab tests.
The grant will enable the team to test a range of new 'designer' compounds on tumours in living cells.
Research leader Dr Joe Tiralongo of Griffith's Institute for Glycomics, Queensland said the compounds target a unique sugar, sialic acid, believed to give cancer cells their deadly ability to spread through the body.
"A significant number of studies have shown a consistent link between the amount of the sugar sialic acid on the surface of cancer cells, and the ability of that cancer to metastasise, or spread to other parts of the body," he said.
Sialic acid is found in cells throughout the body, giving, for example, saliva its characteristic stickiness, but it is abnormally expressed on cancer cells.
"It exists in much greater numbers on the surface of cancer cells. You could almost describe it as a 'glue' that helps cancer cells bond to other cells throughout the body," Dr Tiralongo said.
"We are working to tailor an 'inhibitor' that will block the mechanism that enables cancer cells to express this sugar on its surface."
"If progression can be slowed and the cancer contained to one part of the body, it becomes a lot easier to treat with surgery."
He said while colon cancer was the primary target, the team would also screen inhibitors against other aggressive cancers, including breast cancer and neuroblastoma.
"These cancers all over-express sialic acid, so in theory what works for one cancer could work for others.
Colon cancer is one of the most dangerous types of cancer and the second most common cause of death from cancer, with one in 18 Australian men and one in 26 women affected.
Australian National Health and Medical Research Council reports patients with a localized colon cancer have an 88 % chance of survival, however this drops to just seven per cent when the cancer has spread to other organs.
Association for International Cancer Research Scientific Co-ordinator Dr Mark Matfield said preventing tumours from spreading would be a new way of treating cancer by controlling it.
"It is the ability of cancer to spread around the body which makes it fatal," he said.
"It would not cure it but, in most cases it would make a cure unnecessary because a non-spreading tumour would not be a significant health problem."
----------------------------
Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
----------------------------
AICR, the Association for International Cancer Research, has been funding some of the best scientific research in the world for nearly 30 years. It supports fundamental research by both promising and prominent scientists to improve prevention, detection and treatment of the disease.