Colon Cancer Health Article

Alternative treatment

Alternative therapies have not been studied in a large-scale, scientific way. Large doses of vitamins, fiber, and green tea are among therapies tried. Avoiding cigarettes and alcohol may be helpful. Before initiating any alternative therapies, the patient is wise to consult his/her physician to be sure that these therapies do not complicate or interfere with the established therapy.

Prognosis

Prognosis is the long-term outlook or survival after therapy. Overall, about 50% of patients treated for colon cancer survive the disease. As expected, the survival rates are dependent upon the stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis, making early detection a very worthwhile endeavor.

About 15% of patients present with stage I disease and 85–90% survive. Stage II represents 20–30% of cases and 65–75% survive. Thirt to forty percent comprise the stage III presentation of which 55% survive. The remaining 20–25% present with stage IV disease and are very rarely cured.

Prevention

There is not an absolute way of preventing colon cancer. Still, there are steps an individual can take to dramatically lessen the risk or to identify the precursors of colon cancer so that it does not manifest itself. The patient with a familial history can enter screening and surveillance programs earlier than the general population. High-fiber diets and vitamins, avoiding obesity, and staying active lessen the risk. Avoiding cigarettes and alcohol may be helpful. By controlling these environmental factors, an individual can lessen risk and to this degree prevent the disease.

By undergoing appropriate screening when uncontrollable genetic risk factors have been identified, an individual may be rewarded by the identification of benign polyps that can be treated as opposed to having these growths degenerate into a malignancy.

BOOKS

Abelhoff, Martin, James O. Armitage, Allen S. Lichter, and John E. Niederhuber. Clinical Oncology Library. Philadelphia: Churchill Livingstone, 1999.

Jorde, Lynn B., John C. Carey, Michael J. Bamshad, and Raymond L. White. Medical Genetics, Second Edition. St. Louis: Mosby, 1999.

Kirkwood, John M., Michael T. Lotze, and Joyce M. Yasko. Current Cancer Therapeutics, Third Edition. Philadelphia: Churchill Livingstone, 1998

PERIODICALS

Greenlee, Robert T., Mary Beth Hill-Harmon, Taylor Murray, and Michael Thun. "Cancer Statistics 2001." CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 51, no. 1 (Jan/Feb 2001).

Saltz, Leonard, et al. "Irinotecan plus Fluorouracil and Leucovorin for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer." The New England Journal of Medicine Volune 343, No. 13 (September 28,2000).