Colon Cancer in Hattiesburg, MS
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Find a ProviderWhat is colon cancer?
The colon is the last section of your gastrointestinal system where your body extracts fluid and salt from solid waste. Colon cancer presents itself when cancerous masses evolve in the colon or rectum. The cancer begins as mild masses called polyps, which are minor clumps of cells that eventually can become colon tumors.
Colorectal cancer is more common in older adults and is the second-leading general cancer detected in both genders combined.
It is important to have a colonoscopy early in your life and then as often as recommended by your GI doctor. To make an appointment for a colon cancer screening in Hattiesburg, MS, contact Hattiesburg GI Associates, PLLC.
What are the signs and risk factors of colorectal cancer?
If addressed early and managed properly, colorectal cancer can often end with a favorable outcome for patients. If you are experiencing any of the below symptoms regularly, please make an appointment with a Hattiesburg, MS gastroenterologist as soon as possible:
- Persistent urges to have a bowel movement
- Blood in stool
- A feeling that your bowel doesn't clear completely
- Lasting gut trouble, such as cramps, bloating, or pain
- Pain throughout bowel movements
- A abrupt alteration in bowel movements, including obstruction, diarrhea, or an alteration in the texture of your stool
- Any symptom on this list joined by weakness and exhaustion
Some of the factors that could position an individual at greater risk for colorectal cancer are:
- Age: Colorectal cancer is mainly diagnosed in people who are more than 50; however, the rates of colon cancer in young patients have been increasing in recent years.
- Race: People of African American descent have a greater danger of colon and rectal cancer compared to different races, though individuals of every race can be affected.
- Family history: If you or a relative has had colon and rectal cancer or colon growths, you have an increased danger of colorectal cancer.
- Inflammatory intestinal diseases: Persistent afflictions, such as Crohn's disease and colitis, can increase your risk of colon and rectal cancer.
- "Standard Western Diet": Colon cancer has been linked with diets that are low in fiber and high in fat and calories.
What is the survival rate for colon cancer?
Cancer rates of survival are distributed into categories and dependent on the degree to which the disease has advanced upon discovery. Limited colon cancer is cancer that is only in the colon. Regional colon cancer is when the cancer transfers to the adjacent cells and body parts, and distant is if the condition has circulated to faraway portions of the body.
- Localized colon cancer: 90% 5-year survival rate
- Regional colon cancer: 71% 5-year survival rate
- Distant colon cancer: 14% 5-year survival rate
If the condition is discovered quickly and merely manifests in minor cancerous polyps, then the growths can be extracted, leading to extremely elevated survival rates.
We recommend scheduling a colonoscopy when you turn 45 years old in order to find cancer quickly. If colorectal cancer runs in your family, then we advise receiving a screening for colorectal cancer at Hattiesburg GI Associates, PLLC sooner.
What treatments are there for colorectal cancer?
Therapy for colorectal cancer in Hattiesburg, MS patients can vary contingent on the degree of the disease. Every case is different, but the greatest thing you can do for colorectal cancer is to completely prevent it.
Avoidance
Colorectal cancer is a different kind of cancer for the reason that it is preventable. Colorectal cancer first shows up in the form of polyps. These polyps can be removed, which diminishes your risk of dying from cancer by 90%. You can use your colorectal cancer screening with your GI doctor as an opportunity to review your own private risk factors and preventative steps.
Stage 0 Colorectal Cancer Treatment
Stage 0 colorectal cancer is when the colon cancer has not dispersed outside the inward lining of the colon. If the growth is minuscule enough, it can be easily eliminated with the use of a colonoscope while undergoing a colonoscopy.
Stage I Colorectal Cancer Treatment
If the tumor is totally extracted while doing a colonoscopy with no cancerous tissues at the edges, no continued therapy may be necessary. If the removed tumor does have cancerous cells at the extremities, more surgery could be needed to remove the extra cancerous tissue. For cancers not found in a tumor, a partial colectomy might be required to withdraw the segment of the colon and adjacent lymph nodes that are cancerous.
Stage II Colorectal Cancer Treatment
Normally, in stage 2 treatment, surgery is executed to extract the portion of the colon or adjacent lymph nodes retaining cancer. Occasionally, your specialist will recommend adjuvant chemotherapy (chemo after surgery) as well.
Stage III Colorectal Cancer Treatment
A partial colectomy accompanied by adjuvant chemotherapy is the conventional treatment for this phase of colon cancer.
Stage IV Colorectal Cancer Treatment
This type of cancer generally means that the condition has moved to different tissues or organs. Surgery may be needed to remove sections of the cancer found in the colon and additional organs, as well as chemotherapy. Chemotherapy at this phase is typically conducted before and after surgery.
Colon Cancer FAQs
What are the causes of colorectal cancer?
Although the precise cause of colorectal cancer is not clear, it develops when cell mutation in the inner lining of the colon or rectum expands out of control, leading to a growth or tumor. Certain circumstances may increase the chance of disease occurrence. Some of these include a hereditary or genetic predisposition and lifestyle factors, such as tobacco and alcohol use, lack of physical activity, and poor eating habits.
How is colorectal cancer detected?
Colon cancer is usually detected and diagnosed during a screening for the disease. A colonoscopy exam is the most commonly performed, accurate, and thorough testing option for finding colon cancer. Further tests, like virtual colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, stool tests, and double-contract barium enema, may also be performed when screening for this disease. Your gastroenterologist at Hattiesburg GI Associates, PLLC can advise you on the ideal approach to screening and diagnosis for your individual health needs.
How quickly does colorectal cancer grow?
In many instances, colon cancer is a slow-growing disease. It typically begins as a noncancerous growth or polyp in the colon or rectal area that turns cancerous over the course of time. Having symptoms when polyps are present is rare, making routine colon cancer screenings essential to catching this cancer as early as possible.
Is colon cancer preventable?
Cancer of the colon or rectum can often be prevented with periodic colorectal cancer screenings. Since most colorectal cancers begin as precancerous polyps (growths), scheduling screenings as advised by your medical provider can help diminish the risk of experiencing this condition. Our gastrointestinal specialists in Hattiesburg, MS can provide additional advice on how to diminish your risk for colon cancer when you visit our team for a consultation.
Help for colorectal cancer patients
If you or a loved one fears or has been diagnosed with colon cancer, take comfort in the fact that there is support for you nearby. Hattiesburg GI Associates, PLLC is a locally based team of board-certified physicians who strive to place the reassurance and protection of our patients before everything else. To find out more about cancer and how it may be identified and avoided, or to find treatment for colorectal cancer in Hattiesburg, MS, please get in touch with the staff at one of our offices.
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