The treatment method recommended for colorectal cancer relies mainly on the stage to which the cancer has been detected. Basically there are two groups of treatment schemes that are currently available. These are the standard methods of treatment and the clinical trials.

Standard Colorectal Cancer Treatment

The standard methods for colon cancer treatment are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. These treatments are aimed at removing malignant tumor growths and stopping possible recurrence. Let’s try to understand these treatments closely.

Local excision

Local excision is a surgical procedure used in early stage colon cancer. This is done by putting a tube through the rectum and colon to remove the cancer. It is called polypectomy, when it involves removal of polyps in the intestinal wall.

Resection

Resection is done by cutting the cancer, along with other healthy tissues around it, and rejoining the non-affected parts together. In medical terms, these procedures are individually called colectomy (removal of cancer affected parts) and anastomosis (sewing of healthy parts together). Normally, the surgeon may also remove the lymph nodes around the colon for cancer examination.

Colostomy

The colostomy colon cancer treatment procedure is done in conjunction with resection. A stoma or an opening is created from the colon to the skin for waste material passage when the colon is not in a condition to be sewn back together. A colostomy bag is placed at the opening to collect the waste materials. It may be constant or temporary if the lower part of the colon heals.

Other surgical procedures

A probe equipped with tiny electrodes aimed at killing cancer cells is used in radiofrequency ablation. In this treatment, the probe is inserted into the colon through an incision on the skin and only local anesthesia may be needed. Although in some more advance cases general anesthesia may be needed.

Sometimes referred to as Cryotheraphy, Cryosurgery is done with the use of an instrument to target, freeze and destroy abnormal tissues and cancer cells.

Chemotherapy

The use of drugs to halt the division and growth of cancer cells is called Chemotherapy. It may be injected into a vein or taken orally. The drug is administered directly to an organ in a procedure known as regional chemotherapy and the object to purge the surrounding area of cancer cells. Variations of chemotherapy rely on the kind and stage of the cancer.

Radiation Therapy

In radiation therapy x-rays infused with high amount of energy are used to wipe out cancer cells and halt their division and growth. Radiation therapy may be done both externally and internally. In external radiation therapy, the use of a machine from outside of the body is done to send radiation to the cancers cells. Internal radiation therapy incorporates the use of needles, wires or catheters to precisely target the tumor on the affected area.

In some patients, adjuvant therapy or the use of chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be needed to remove other cancer cells which may be left out from a surgical procedure.

Targeted Therapy (Clinical Trial)

Some other treatments for colon cancer are in their clinical trial stages like the monoclonal antibody therapy which is a form of targeted therapy. This therapy uses antibodies to identify substance which aids in the proliferation of cancerous cells.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Cappetta

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