Beat Bowel Cancer with these Treatment Options

When cancer cells start developing in the colon or rectum the condition is called colon, rectal or sometimes, bowel cancer. This cancer is caused by the unusually large growth of cells that can attack other parts of the body leading to various symptoms like blood in the stool, bowel movement change, abnormal weight loss, and fatigue.

Once diagnosed, there are many treatment options a patient can look up to cure the condition. Your list of treatment methods can include the following options.

The Team

People suffering from bowel cancer should be put under the supervision of a multidisciplinary team (MDT). It is team of specialists who will work to give the best treatment possible to cure the patient completely. This team will comprise of a specialist cancer surgeon, an oncologist, a radiologist, pathologist, radiographer and specialist nurse. There can be other members in the team such as a physiotherapist, dietitian and an occupational therapist. While this team of specialists will decide upon the kind of treatment for you, they would consider the following factors:

• the type and size of your cancer
• your overall health
• how far the cancer has spread in the body
• what grade cancer it is

Based on this, the following treatment can be given:

• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Radiotherapy
• Biological therapy

Surgery

A surgery to treat bowel cancer is only possible if it is in an early stage. It is only possible at this stage to remove a small piece of lining of the colon wall. This procedure is known as local excision.

When the cancer spreads into the muscles surrounding the colon, it becomes necessary to remove the entire section of the colon in order to receive the perfect treatment for bowel cancer. Removing some part of the colon is known as colectomy.

Chemotherapy

There are three ways in which chemotherapy can be used to cure bowel cancer:

• Therapy prior to surgery for rectal cancer combined with radiotherapy.
• Therapy given after surgery to prevent cancer from recurring.
• Therapy given to reduce the spread of advanced bowel cancer and to control the symptoms.

The chemotherapy taken for bowel cancer usually has a combination of medicines given to the patient to kill cancer cells. These medications can be transfused into the patient’s body in the form of a tablet, drip, or as a combination of both.

The best-suited treatment for you can be decided by our health care provider. The best you can do to fight the cancer is to stay aware about its symptoms and take preventive measures wherever possible.