Dealing with Life After Colon Cancer

People experience many different emotions, fears, anxieties, and moods after dealing with cancer treatments. Not only is it important to take care of yourself physically but emotional health is extremely important too. All people deal with cancer with various coping methods. While some will attempt to act strong, almost invincible, in an attempt to protect their family and loved one, others may turn to their family and friends for support, while some may rely in their faith to pull them through.

The main thing that most deal with is the fear that the cancer will return. Cancer patients can ease some of this worry by keeping themselves informed about their health, available and upcoming treatment programs, and support groups. Talking with other survivors can be especially beneficial in the recovery process. Some may even opt to see a counselor who can help them through this difficult time. Mainly, it is best if the cancer survivor is able to express their feelings openly regardless of what they may be.

Becoming more optimistic and less pessimistic can be very helpful. It will do more for your overall well being to be hopeful rather than focusing on the worst all of the time. Many survivors of cancer have a tendency to try and direct the blame for their cancer on something or someone, even if that someone happens to be themselves. Others tend to surround themselves with self pity, constantly wondering why this had to happen to them. It is important at this time to not focus your energy and time on issues such as those because the truth is that anyone can get cancer and it is no ones fault.

Remember that your feelings are just that, they are yours and yours alone. If you feel happy and are having a good day then great but if you feel bad or want to be left alone for the day, there is nothing wrong with that. You are in control of your life. You may not be in control of whether or not your cancer can return but you have to make yourself a promise that you will live each and every day that you feel well, to the fullest. Stay active and take care of yourself at all times and learn how to relax. You were given a second chance so make the best of it.

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer, one of the most common forms of cancer in men, is not widely talked about in male circles. Yet, statistics have shown that one in six men should expect this diagnosis. This slow growing disease and today’s treatments ensure that only a few may die from it. Of course, the more you know about the disease the better the chance of being one of the few to prevention and fighting it if necessary. High risk category patients will be those who have a family history or are currently experiencing symptoms, but regular examination can spot the cancer early by testing the amount of prostate-specific antigens in the blood. Using the most effective means of testing is the digital rectal exam where the doctor inserts a finger into the rectum and manually checks for abnormalities on the prostate. As uncomfortable as this may seem, priority will encourage you to seek regular testing the catch the cancer early to increase the chances of experiencing the effects of prostate cancer, which are much more uncomfortable than the examination.

What is Colon Cancer and the Symptoms?

Colon cancer also known as colorectal cancer usually begins in the large intestine or in the rectum. There are a few other types of colon cancer but they are extremely rare. The intestines are broken up into different layers of tissue and symptoms of colon cancer can and will vary according to the location. The layers help determine how far the cancer has spread too.

Colon cancer begins and grows very slowly which is why early screening for those persons at higher risks is so important. Because it develops so gradually it really can be detected and taken care of early on. Almost always colon cancer begins as a polyp that turns cancerous. Again, emphasis on regular medical screenings can detect these polyps and remove them long before they can become cancerous. Although the number of people diagnosed annually with colon cancer has dropped significantly, it is still estimated that over 100,000 people will be diagnosed with it each year and just under half will be fatal.

How is colon cancer treated?

If you are diagnosed with colon cancer the doctor will conduct several tests to determine the level or what they call stage that it has developed to. Of course, as with any cancer, the sooner it is detected the easier it will be to treat. Your prognosis will depend on certain factors such as whether the cancer is just in the lining, inside of the colon, or has spread throughout the body and into other organs.
The doctor will further base your prognosis on if the cancer has caused a block in your intestines and he will want to conduct various blood tests to determine blood levels of a specific agent that runs in your bloodstream at different levels depending on how far the cancer has advanced. So prior to recommending any form of treatment your doctor will rely heavily on your general health, if the cancer has recurred, and what stage the cancer has advanced to.

Technology advances for treatments of colon cancer

From the early seventies until present, colon cancer has been on the incline. Colon cancer causes more cancer related deaths and follows only lung cancer. If diagnosed early on, the typical approach to curing this disease is surgery, which is very successful, if caught early. Otherwise, about half of the people with later stages of colon cancer will be fatal.

Pharmacia Corporation currently owns the market for pharmaceuticals sold for treatment of colon cancer. The number one drug used to treat colon cancer, Camptosar, is manufactured by Pharmacia Corporation, who intends on securing their billion plus dollar market with new drugs that successfully treat colon cancer. Sales are actually expected to soar. The only drawback from Camptosar is severe diarrhea.

How to deal with loved ones who have Colon Cancer

Colon cancer certainly affects the person who has been diagnosed but it also affects their loved ones as well. They are not the ones who have been diagnosed with cancer but they care a lot about them. They want to be strong and very supportive but sometimes may not know exactly what to do. Some even avoid their loved one simply because they can’t express how they feel. The last thing a cancer patient wants is pity.

Treat them like you always did, laugh with them and include them in on activities and events. If they are up to coming, they will be there but if they don’t feel well that day just understand and don’t make a big deal about it. Never exclude them and besides casually asking them how they might feel, don’t focus any conversations around their condition.

Various Stages of Colon Cancer

Once it has been determined that you have colon cancer and all of the appropriate testing has been done to determine how far the cancer has spread, the doctor will advise you as to what stage your cancer has spread to ranging from 0-IV. That number will affect how your doctor decides to treat your cancer.
A stage 0 means you cancer is only in the inner lining and during this stage of colon cancer it is likely that the doctor will be able to stop the cancer from spreading by performing a minor surgery to remove the tumor. With today’s technology, this procedure can be done without even making any cuts in the skin. If the tumor is too large to remove in this fashion, there is another procedure the doctor will use that is just a bit more complex.

Prevention for Colon Cancer

There are some things that you can do to reduce your risk of getting colon cancer. Prevention is an essential component and prevention begins with regular screenings. Sometimes non cancerous polyps can contribute to colon cancer and these can be detected by a sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy and they can be detected very early. If they are detected then they can be removed and this will further act as a precaution to getting colon cancer. The good news is that if colon cancer is found early and treated early, it is one of the most curable types of cancer.

Changing your diet is also a very wise idea. Lower your fat and calorie intake for starters and also limit your meat and alcohol consumption. People who are probably at the highest risk are those who are not very physically active and have high fat and calorie diets. Some doctors will recommend that a patient quit smoking, eliminate or significantly reduce their alcohol consumption, using aspirin, and taking vitamins can greatly reduce your chances of getting colon cancer.