Stages of Colon Cancer

Colon cancer is one of the biggest killers in the United States. If it’s diagnosed early, the patient has a very good chance of surviving. In its advanced stages, however, it can be very difficult to treat. There are 5 stages of colon cancer, ranging from 0 to 4. In higher stages, the cancer is spread outside of the colon, thus making the disease hard to treat. There is also the possibility of it recurring, even after successful surgery and chemotherapy.

Stage 0 Colon Cancer

Stage 0 is the earliest stage. It is when the disease hasn’t spread, and is still contained within the inner lining of the colon. It’s fairly easy to remove with colonoscopy. The survival rate is more than 90%. This means that nearly all patients will live for at least five years after the initial diagnosis. As long as they make it through the first five years, the chances are good for them to live out the rest of their lives without recurrence.

Stage 1 Colon Cancer

At stage 1, the cancer has spread from the inner lining to the middle layers of the colon. During this stage, the cancer has already begun to move, although it hasn’t yet gotten very far. A surgical resection is the most common type of treatment. Chemotherapy may or may not be required after the surgery. The prognosis is still around 90% for the first five years.

Stage 2 Colon Cancer

At stage 2, the cancer has spread outside of the colon into nearby tissue. In Stage 2A, the tumor has penetrated through the muscle layers. In stage 2B, it has spread beyond the wall into nearby organs. For both stages, the survival rate is high. The majority of patients are still alive after five years. Even at stage 2, the cancer hasn’t yet reached any lymph nodes.

Stage 3 Colon Cancer

At stage 3, the cancer spreads to lymph nodes. This stage has three levels, A, B, and C, which are determined by how many lymph nodes are affected. The survival rate is above 50%, with stage 3A patients being more likely to survive than stage 3B or stage 3C. Even so, there are new medications and treatments being developed every day which can lead to greater life expectancies.

Stage 4 of Colon Cancer

Stage 4 is the most advanced stage of the disease. It is at this stage when the cancer spreads to other organs, such as the liver and lungs. Both surgery and chemotherapy are used, as well as other treatments such as radiation therapy in some cases based on location of the tumor. In the past, the prognosis hasn’t been good at all for patients at this stage. However, new treatments are being developed, so hopefully the prognoses will increase over the next few years.

While eating a healthy diet doesn’t guarantee that an individual won’t get colon cancer, it still decreases the chances considerably. Those who haven’t been eating a healthy diet should do a colon cleanse to get rid of all the toxins in the body. A buildup of pollutants in the colon is primarily caused by eating processed and greasy foods and refined sugars. These play a role in the development of polyps, which can lead to colon cancer. Thus, a colon cleanse is essential for the health of the colon.