Treatments for Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer is a cancer of the colon and/or rectum. The condition is diagnosed through a colonoscopy and a blood test that can confirm the presence of cancerous growths. Once a diagnosis has been rendered, further testing is required to determine the stage of the disease and the best course of treatment. Colon cancer has many treatments that a doctor may recommend depending on the results of these tests and, if caught early, responds well to the following treatments: 1. Get ahead of it Doctors recommend that adults over the age of 50 have regular colon screenings for any sign of symptoms that may indicate the presence of benign polyps or cancerous growths. However, if there are certain risk factors such as a family history of colon cancer then screening should begin at a younger age. Additionally, there are colon cancer symptoms that may be early signs of this type of cancer including ongoing intestinal issues such as diarrhea, blood in the stool, and unexplained weight loss. 2. Colectomy surgery Localized cancer with small growths can sometimes be treated by a minor surgery during a colonoscopy. If the growths are larger, they can often be removed by a surgery called endoscopic mucosal resection.