Colon Cancer

Question: colon cancer? for the past 9 months my stools have had a very tarry texture, are the color of clay, have black specks in them, often times look like i have undigested peanuts in them (wheni have not eaten them)and sometimes are'thin and ribbony'. there was one incedent where i bled profusely after having a bowel movement, and a few times bled but in a lesser amount. i am often fatiqued and out of breath, but i'm not sure if that is just my diabetes. i'm a 30 yr old female. does this sound like colon cancer? i dont have health insurance so im not sure what i shoud do (or what's going on)

Answer: YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE INTERNAL BLEEDING ----IT COULD BE CANCER OR AN ULCER OR KIDNEY OR OTHER THINGS---GO TO EMERGENCY RM. & TELL THEM YOU HAVE BEEN BLEEDING OUT OF YOUR BUT...PERIOD.....HOSPITALS HAVE TO TREAT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INDIGANT PATIENTS........WAITING JUST MAKES IT WORSE.....

Question: Colon cancer ? My uncle's family has a history of colon cancer. Three people from his family have died because of it. I know he has colon cancer and apparently it's really bad. I don't think I heard my dad correctly, but he said something about a stage 7 (I think) and that it had gotten much worse. How severe would that stage of colon cancer be and is it treatable?

Answer: There's no such thing as a stage 7 in colon cancer. It's classified in stages 0 through IV; stage IV is the most advanced because there's involvement of lymph nodes and metastases to distant organs. Here are some professionally reviewed, detailed information sites: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/colon/Patient/page1 http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/colon/Patient/page2 http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/colon/Patient/page4 http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/colon/Patient/page5 http://www.emedicinehealth.com/colon_cancer/article_em.htm http://www.emedicinehealth.com/colon_cancer/page10_em.htm I suggest that when you (or anyone else for that matter) look up health related issues on the Web, check that the site[s] has the HON {Health-On-Net} code at the bottom of the page. This assures that the information has been reviewed by health professionals and is accurate and up-to-date. Best wishes to your uncle, and offer him your support now that he needs it most.

Question: What is the difference in the stages of colon cancer? my boyfriend has 4th stage colon cancer. They removed some of the colon. they now say both lobes of his liver have cancer spots and they are concerned about a spot on his lung.

Answer: As colon cancer progresses from Stage 0 to Stage IV, the cancer cells grow through the layers of the colon wall and spread to lymph nodes and other organs. Stage 0 (Carcinoma in Situ) In stage 0, abnormal cells are found in the innermost lining of the colon. These abnormal cells may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue. Stage 0 is also called carcinoma in situ. Stage I In stage I, cancer has formed and spread beyond the innermost tissue layer of the colon wall to the middle layers. Stage I colon cancer is sometimes called Dukes A colon cancer. Stage II Stage II colon cancer is divided into stage IIA and stage IIB. Stage IIA: Cancer has spread beyond the middle tissue layers of the colon wall or has spread to nearby tissues around the colon or rectum. Stage IIB: Cancer has spread beyond the colon wall into nearby organs and/or through the peritoneum. Stage II colon cancer is sometimes called Dukes B colon cancer. Stage III Stage III colon cancer is divided into stage IIIA, stage IIIB, and stage IIIC. Stage IIIA: Cancer has spread from the innermost tissue layer of the colon wall to the middle layers and has spread to as many as 3 lymph nodes. Stage IIIB: Cancer has spread to as many as 3 nearby lymph nodes and has spread: beyond the middle tissue layers of the colon wall; or to nearby tissues around the colon or rectum; or beyond the colon wall into nearby organs and/or through the peritoneum. Stage IIIC: Cancer has spread to 4 or more nearby lymph nodes and has spread: to or beyond the middle tissue layers of the colon wall; or to nearby tissues around the colon or rectum; or to nearby organs and/or through the peritoneum. Stage III colon cancer is sometimes called Dukes C colon cancer. Stage IV In stage IV, cancer may have spread to nearby lymph nodes and has spread to other parts of the body, such as the liver or lungs. Stage IV colon cancer is sometimes called Dukes D colon cancer.

Question: How long does colon cancer take to develop from stage to stage? Can anyone please tell me what is the average time for colon cancer to develop from stage to stage for a 13 year old boy who weighs 120 pounds and 5'5. Like from stage 1-2,2-3,3-4 Thx

Answer: It's hard to tell, but colon cancer is a slower growing cancer than many other types. If you suspect anything, go to a gastroenterologist and have a colonoscopy done. There are many diseases that are more likely for a 13 year old than cancer, and they have the same symptoms. The colonoscopy can pinpoint the problem, and you can know what needs to be treated.

Question: How long does colon cancer take to develop? I am 23 years old and in pretty good shape. I had a colonoscopy about 2 years ago and everything was fine. About 1 year ago I had a sigmoidoscopy and everything was alright there as well.I dont have a family history of colon cancer either, i just tend to worry about this more than some would. I have almost constant abdominal pain with thin stool. I am going to the doctor later this week, but any information would be greatly appreciated.

Answer: It takes 5-8 years.

Question: What is the difference between anal cancer and colon cancer? I was reading a story that Farrah Fawcet has anal cancer. I thought we called it colon cancer or is there a difference?

Answer: Anal cancer and colon cancer are not exactly the same thing. Colon cancer occurs in the colon, also known as the large intestine. It usually occurs as the result of malignant (cancer) degeneration of a precancerous lesion known as a polyp. Anal cancer occurs in the anal canal. A different type of cell lines the anal canal and thus, it is a different type of cancer. They metastasize (spread) differently and are treated in somewhat different ways depending on the cell type involved.

Question: Are certain cases of colon cancer more aggressive than others? My dad passed away from colon cancer in december of 2007 only after 9 months. but i read that the survival rates were higher than that. he had surgery,chemo and radiation. i was wondering if certain cases can be more aggressive and harder to treat than others?

Answer: 98% of colon cancers above the anal verge are adenocarcinomas and although they do vary in aggressiveness it is not drastic. There are other rare types that are much more aggressive. Survival rates are dependent on stage. Stage 4 colon cancer has a 5-year survival rate of 5%. There are those that survive past 5 years and of the other 95% there are those who survive 1 week and others survive 4 years and 11 months. It is difficult to apply these rates to an individual without a good understanding of the disease process and even then it is just one piece of the puzzle.

Question: What are the survivar rates for stage 4 colon cancer? My grandma just found out she has stage 4 colon cancer. Have you or anyone you know had stage 4 colon cancer and know the survival rates? Other than the cancer she is failry healthy. Thanks!

Answer: 5 year survival is not 50%, closer to 10% or less. Average survival is about 2 years, meaning half live longer. This assumes patients go through the usual drugs of 5FU, oxaliplatin, irinotecan, avastin, and erbitux. While the treatment can be tough, others tolerate amazingly well and preserve a very good quality of life. Treatments are definitely worth trying at least. I have many older patients with metastatic colorectal cancer- they frequently do very well with treatment. Blessings

Question: How long does it take to recuperate from colon cancer surgery? How long does it take to recuperate from a surgery that is supposed to eliminate colon cancer?

Answer: My Mom survived colon cancer 2 years ago...it took her about 4 or 5 mos to get any spring in her step. She is now experiencing some bowel problems but will not have any thing confirmed...she says whatever will be will be......She today, at 81-1/2 looks fine, got back all her weight and her demeanor improved....but we will see P.S....She refused all treatment after her surgery

Question: What component in the diet may reduce the risk for colon cancer? There are many theories about food intake and cancer. One relationship that is true is colon cancer.

Answer: 1.polyunsaturated fats,also monounsaturated. 2.Vitamins and mineral rich food, plenty of fiber that helps digestion.

Question: How does Colon Cancer get to Stage 4 without any symptoms? I have read many people write about how they or people they know have Stage 4 colon cancer and never had any symptoms. How is this possible? How could someone be completely healthy, have a perfect CBC,etc and yet have something that could potentially kill them in a short span?

Answer: Unfortunately, this is the case of many types of cancer. Some cancers can grow and develop without causing symptoms or only cause very vague symptoms. Often times this occurs in areas where there is a lot of room for the tumor to grow without initially affecting the function of the surrounding normal structures. For example, the colon, particularly the cecum, is very large. A tumor can grow to a large size there without causing any symptoms. It would have to get to a massive size to cause obstruction of the digestive tract or to affect other nearby organs. As it grows without symptoms, it can eventually metastasize (spread to distant organs by way of the blood stream and/or lymphatic system). Stage 4 means that it has metastasized. A tumor does not need to be large to metastasize. Some types of cancer are more prone to spread than others. For example, melanoma (an aggressive form of skin cancer) metastasizes very readily and often people first present with symptoms from a distant metastasis and never even noticed the small primary tumor on the skin of their leg, back, or buttock. A CBC just looks at blood cells and counts them (red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, hematocrit). While some cancers can cause anemia many do not, and a lot of other things can cause anemia. Some cancers can cause changes in white blood cells (such as leukemia) but many do not. In other words, the CBC would not detect most types of cancer. A colonoscopy on the other hand would be able to demonstrate the colon tumor rather easily.

Question: What aspect of colon cancer would be interesting to present to an audience? Colon cancer in a specific country (what country do you think would be best to discuss about) Pllllzzzzzzzz give me ideas!!! :D Thx!!!!

Answer: In a specific country? It's interesting to note that the incidence of colon cancer is highest in the westernized countries of North America, Northern Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. And it's even more interesting to note that when a developing country adopts a Western diet, colon cancer rates rise. Would this be something that you could present to an audience?

Question: What are some good things to cook for someone with colon cancer? My moms best friend has colon cancer and is coming to town for a week and i wanna make sure she has good food that isnt gunna upset her stumich or anything. What should i keep in mind while putting together a plan?

Answer: hey there...well u can take help from this site...i was goin thru it someday and found it really interesting http://colon-cancer.emedtv.com/colon-cancer/colon-cancer-recipes.html....i hope it helps u...enjoy and tc

Question: How can I help my husband survive colon cancer? He has stage III, possibly IV, colon cancer. He has had a portion of his large intestine, along with the cancer removed. However 6 out of 10 lymph nodes in that portion contained cancer. Also the cat scan showed something in the liver but he is to get an MRI to determine if that is cancer or not. He will be receiving chemo. through a port, 2 days every week for 6 months. Are there any alternative or additional treatments available?

Answer: Hi there! I am not sure where you are located, but I know what you're going through, both as a caregiver and a from a patients prospective. I am going to be 33 next week, I was diagnosed at 28 with stage 2 colon cancer. I have the gene that causes colon cancer-HNPCC(Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Colon Cancer), MLH-1 mutation. My mom passed it to me, she got it from her father, etc., My father also had colon cancer three months after me at age 73. He's had 7 cancers in 13 years-currently has leukemia and I currently have stage 1 cervical cancer. The previous poster was right in answering all the questions and listing the different types of chemo-I did Folfox-5FU, with Oxaliplatin, and Leukovorin-I ended up having an allergic reaction to that after I had that nice port put in and they did 6 months of oral Xeloda with me. However, at the time they were doing clinical trials with Avastin and I hear that's AWESOME stuff. Don't fret or lose hope! I have know people that were written off and stage 4 and they're here 10 years later! My advice to you and your husband is to be proactive! Listen and ask questions to your doctors, they are there to serve you! If you don't like their responses get another opinion, yes, time is of the essence, but this is life here, people get second opinions on their houses, cars, etc. take the time to do it on your body-I so wish we had did with my mother! Keep a chart-medical record-get copies of everything HIPPA allows you that freedom of your medical record-you'll need this information because chemo is no joy ride and if he gets ill and needs to go to the er you have his "current" chart there with you-it will speed things up and help the ER docs, etc treat him faster if needed. I don't know what state you're located in or else I could provide you with more resources and contacts. How old is he? Also a PET scan-google or yahoo it! It is used to "help" diagnose cancer-better than an MRI IMO, they use it as a "re-staging" for cancer patients, my father and I have one done every 3-6 months, basically it's like a CT scan, but it's of your whole body, and they inject a little dye and you drink some barium and it's this SUV (Standard Uptake Value) that is measured-it highlights up on the films like a highlighter, the higher the numbers-the greater the chance there is metabolic abnormalities there, thus cancerous cells. Chemo is going to be difficult, at least for me and my mother it was-my dad is very fortunate, he tolerates it well. Some things to keep in mind-use plastic utensils to eat things with-stuff will taste like metal if you don't and don't eat things from metal containers like canned fruit, etc., Once the chemo starts taking effect, like the second dose-he'll get the cold hands sensation-so no cold liquids-room temperature will be just fine, same thing with being around the fridge and freezer items & same goes with the grocery store-when you pick up a cold item it's like electricity is running through your veins. Avoid high acids foods-reflux and upset stomach will just set in-not a good combination. Zofran 4 & 8 mg was the best nausea med & now they have some that are in dissolvable kind for the tongue. If his blood counts go down from chemo-which they probably will, he may have to take procrit or neulasta(sp) shots, the latter will cause some bone pain because it affects your bone marrow, it's normal, but don't hesitate to mention it to your doctor-don't hesitate to mention anything to the doctor! Also-neuropathy-numbness in hands and feet-I found that vitamins B6 & B12 are amazing when it comes to this-but check with the doc first. If diarrhea sets in bad, A&D ontiment is good to have on hand, as are baby wipes & marshmellows-if he can tolerate them, they slow down the digestive track a little cause you get tired of taking immodium or at least I did. I would love to talk to you some more, or heck I'd even chat w you over the net, check out my profile, it's got my IM info in there! Good luck!

Question: If my family has a history of colon cancer, how early should I start getting tested? My mom had colon cancer and I was just wondering if there was a certain age that it is recommended I should get checked out. Thanks!

Answer: You have not mentioned your age, even then you should have contact your doctor periodically at least once in 2 years and have the tests done to ensure you do not have the disease. The U.S. Multisociety Task Force on Colorectal Cancer recommends the following screening options: * Annual fecal occult blood testing * Flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years * Annual fecal occult blood testing plus flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years * Double contrast barium enema every five years * Colonoscopy every 10 years More frequent or earlier screening may be recommended if you're thought to have a high risk of colon cancer. Explore the benefits and risks of each screening option with your doctor. Together you can determine which colon cancer screening option is best for you. One factor to consider is whether your health insurance provider covers colon cancer screening.-

Question: has anyone had the laproscopic surgery for colon cancer? My doctor is planning on doing the laproscopic surgery for colon cancer and I was wondering if anyone in here had had this?

Answer: yes I have had laproscopic surgery for colon cancer ,3 yrs ago was out of the hospital on the fourth morning after the surgery ,quick recovery.