Your Chances Of Colon Cancer Recurrence
If you have had, or if you know somebody who has had colon cancer, you may well be interested in finding out what the likelihood is of a relapse or recurrence is. It is possible to find out what the chances are of the disease coming back, but you will need to look at some factors to be able to determine the chances of a Colon Cancer Recurrence. In this article we will look at some of the contributing factors to help you determine how much at risk you may be of facing the disease a second time round.
The thing to look at first here is the cancer stages. As you probably know, colon cancer, (and most other cancers) are referred to in stages depending on how advanced they are and how far they have spread. You can see more about this in other articles on this site. With stage zero or stage one colon cancer, you may well have had an operation after being diagnosed. Because at this stage the chances of colon cancer recurrence can be relatively small it is quite possible that after your operation you received no further treatment. By this I mean chemotherapy or radiotherapy. You will still require regular check-ups and you should still contact your doctor if you have any concerns or worries.
If colon cancer has reached a more advanced stage then the chances of it coming back are increased significantly and continue to do so as the disease becomes more advanced. This is where chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy come in. Because an operation is unlikely to remove all of the cancerous cells in more advanced cases, these additional therapies will help to eradicate what is left. Chemotherapy works throughout the entire body and stops cells multiplying. It is one of the most effective treatments for many types of cancer. However, it does weaken the immune system considerably and also has many other side effects. Radiotherapy targets more precise areas, (such as the affected part of your colon). It's does have side effects but compared to chemotherapy they are minimal. It is quite common with this type of cancer that you will be given both types of treatment together in order to achieve the best possible outcome. Although there are other methods used today, the two treatments above remain the most widely used and effective ways to prevent colon cancer recurrence.
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