Next to lung cancer, colon cancer is the second leading cause of death in the country. Colon cancer often starts with just a few benign polyps in the areas of the gastrointestinal tracts but undetected, these polyps can spread to other organs of the body and develop into cancerous cells. This is the terminal colon cancer stage.

This is perhaps why it is important for people to detect these polyps early on so as to prevent the development of cancer to the terminal stage. Early diagnosis in fact is very much important not only the prevention but also in the treatment of terminal colon cancer. Even if the disease has already spread, a much earlier diagnosis has a better prognosis because it is much easier to treat than a disease that is already in the terminal stages.

Still this is much easier said than done. Colon cancer does not have many symptoms especially in the early stages. Often, its symptoms are commonly experienced such as diarrhea and constipation. Irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease often lead to colon cancer but people may not be aware of this first.

One symptom that people should watch out for is the presence of blood in the stool. Although this does not mean that you already have cancer, it still is a sign of a serious disease and must be checked with a doctor.

Treating terminal colon cancer

People with terminal colon cancer will have options on what treatment method to undergo. This depends largely on the stage of cancer that the person is in as well as the budget.

Surgery

One treatment option is surgery. Colectomy, as what it is called, is actually the main option for terminal colorectal cancer. In this treatment, the colon is removed from the body to get rid of all the cancerous cells. If the cancer is just concentrated in the colon area, removing it will already solve the problem.

Often, surgery is also recommended even when the cancer has already spread to other parts of the body. Doctors advise people to undergo chemotherapy and radiation to get rid of the other cancerous cells that have already spread in other parts of the body.

Chemotherapy

Another option is of course chemotherapy, which is often used in cancer problems. Chemotherapy destroys the cancerous cells and also controls the growth of other tumors in the body. This prevents the spread of the disease in other parts of the body. It is often used in tandem with the other treatment options.

Side effects of chemotherapy are hair loss, nausea, vomiting, mouth sores, fatigue and diarrhea.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is another treatment option that is available to people who have terminal colon cancer. In radiation therapy, the x-ray being used will hopefully kill the cancerous cells that may remain after the colectomy or at the very least shrink them in size so that it can be removed easily by surgery. Radiation can damage the tumor without affecting the rest of the tissues so it is good with cancerous cells or tumors that are located in specific parts of the body.

Often, all three treatments are done in one person to ensure that all the cancer cells have been removed and also from ever appearing again.

Like chemotherapy, radiation therapy in terminal colon cancer also has side effects. Among them are diarrhea, loss of appetite, rectal bleeding, nausea, fatigue and feelings of tiredness.

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