Overview

Colon cancer is a mass or masses of cancerous cells formed large intestines and rare that colon cance shows symptoms at the early stage of cancer. Colon cancer is the third most common type of cancer that foreign patients come to Korea for treatment. In many cases, this begins from benign tumor such as polyps. Other causes of colon cancer are known as, imbalanced dietary habit, lack of exercise, nflammatory diseases (ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease) and family history of colon cancer.

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Symptoms

• Anemia due to unnoticeable bleeding in large intestines
• Loss of appetites and weight
• Changes in bowel habit (constipation, diarrhea)
• Blood found in feces
• Pain

Treatments

1. Colon Cancer Surgery

The removal colon is depending on the status of cancer spread. In the early stage, it may able to just remove the affected tissue including some normal tissue around the cancer and rejoin the part with remaining healthy end of colon or rectum (partial colectomy). However, partial colectomy is not suitable for patients with advanced colon cancer which require resection of colon and rectum including normal tissue and lymph nodes. In that case, creation of an ostomy, a securely designed stoma for elimination of bowel excretion into a bag is required.

1) Process of procedure

• Patients may also receive chemotherapy and radiation therapy along with surgery.
• Some hospitals perform laparoscopic surgery minimizing complications of surgery.
• Begin general anesthesia
• Give an incision to abdominal region
• Remove cancer tissue as well as its surrounding tissue
• If patient has cancer spreading lymph nodes, it will be removed under patient's consent
• Rejoin the colon with remaining healthy end of colon or rectum
• Or create an ostomy
• Suture the incision with delicate care

2) Expected duration of hospital stay

• Generally several days of admission including surgery time is expected. This may differ by patient's recovery pace.
• Feeling weak
• Palpable mass in the abdominal area

3) Post-operative care

• The patient will be monitored thoroughly in the recovery unit to ensure that he or she is free of complications (bleeding, difficulty in breathing, abnormal vital signs).
• Bowel function will slowly return in days of surgery.
• If patient gets an ostomy, ostomy care nurse will provide specific guide regarding ostomy care.

4) Ideal outcomes

• Cancer tissues are clearly removed.
• Discomforts caused by cancer are gone thus quality of life is increased
• Patient does not require secondary surgery

5) Risks

• Bleeding, pulmonary embolism, infection, fluid accumulation in the operated site, tearing of rejoined bowls.

6) Treatment cost

* Expected cost ranges from to.

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2. Chemotherapy

Usually applied as a supportive treatment to surgery and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy is delivered via pills and intravenous injection. It significantly decreases cancer recurrence and metastasis. And it treats recurred or metastasized cancer. In colon cancer, chemotherapy is commonly followed by the surgery.

1) Process of procedure

• Chemotherapy is usually given at outpatient clinic if it is an IV injection (more common way), or taken at home as pills
• Many patients get a vascular access device which enables safe practice of chemotherapy in their chest.
• Fasting is required on the day of treatment
• Receive medical examination of vital signs
• Receive chemotherapy via IV
• Recheck vital signs
• Consult about side effects with doctor
• Receive prescribed medication and instructions of after chemotherapy

2) Expected duration of treatment

• Generally hospital visiting period is every once a week or once in three weeks (depending on patient's recovery time)
• Chemotherapy is delivered through three to six months for early stage cancer, and beyond six months for advanced cancer. It can vary depending on patient's condition

3) Ideal outcomes

• Matastasis of cancer is prevented.
• The size of cancer mass reduces in accordance with the therapy.

4) Risks

• Nausea, fatigue, loss of hair, inhibited production of blood and blood cells from bone marrow, decreased white blood cells, fever, infection, mouth sores and damage in gastrointestinal tract, severe pain, and infertility

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3. Radiation therapy

Ionized radiations such as X-ray, protons or others are irradiated to remove cancer cells and shrink the size of mass. In colon cancer patients, radiation therapy is delivered beforehand to the surgery.

1) Process of procedure

• Radiation can be irradiated from inside the body while patient is undergoing surgery
• or it can be irradiated from outside of body before and after surgery

2) Expected duration of treatment

• Generally radiation therapy is delivered to patient five times a week for about five to six weeks (depending on patient's condition)

3) Ideal outcomes

• Metastasis of cancer is prevented.
• The size of cancer mass reduces in accordance with the therapy.

4) Risks

• Fatigue, skin may get irritated, swelling of breast and differed skin sensation may occur.

5) Treatment cost

• Expected cost ranges from to.

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