Stages of Colon Cancer
Colorectal cancer can be classified into four distinct stages, with a fifth stage known as “recurring.” Each stage has various treatment options with rates of survival based around five year periods. It is important to have colon cancer diagnosed immediately since survival rate is highest during the early stages of this disease.
In the earliest stage, 0, the cancer involves only the lining of the rectum or the colon. The cancer is also confined only to the polyps, or a kind of tissue that develops in the surface of any organ. When said polyps are taken out during polypectomy, any chance of the cancer progressing to a more advanced stage is eliminated.
In Stage 1, the polyps have developed into a tumor and it now extends into the walls of the rectum or colon. Treatment can be in the form of surgery to take away the cancerous section of the colon. This kind of surgery is referred to as resection. The sections of the colon that are healthy or non-cancerous are reconnected. The rate of survival for five years is 95 percent.
The Four Primary Stages Of Colon Cancer
Stage II occurs when cancer cells have spread beyond the colon, going to tissues surrounding the colon not including the lymph nodes. The spread of cancer cells from one portion of the body to other parts is referred t as metastasis. To treat this cancer stage, resection surgery is used. The rate of survival is reduced dramatically to around 60 percent.
At Stage III, cancer cells have spread to the lymph nodes. During this stage, cancer has yet to spread to other body organs. Also, treatment is more aggressive. For this stage of cancer, a surgical resection, chemotherapy, as well as other medical options is recommended. The survival rate for this stage of cancer is between 60 to 35 percent.
In it’s worst state, Stage IV sees the cancer cells spreading to other body organs like the liver and the lungs. Aside from surgical resection, chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation treatment are recommended to take out the affected portions of the body. The chance of surviving the disease drops significantly to a mere 3 percent.
The final stage is known as recurrent cancer, which means the disease comes back even after treatment. Regular checkups are needed in order to prevent recurrent cancer after successful colon cancer treatment.
