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Colon Cancer Stages
We answer a few different questions on this page, concerning colon cancer stages and other information on the colon. However, it is our heartfelt desire that you become a part of this website and contribute your own personal experience with anything related to colon cancer so that other's may benefit. Your stories, tips, experiences and advice are all welcome and will be published here. You can remain anonymous if you choose. It's easy to contribute. You can submit your own story here or you can read stories submitted by others here.
- What is a polyp?
- What are the colon cancer stages?
- What is the colon made of?
- What are the parts of your colon?
First we have to describe a polyp - that's where it all starts.
Most colon cancer cells come from a gland cell that starts to divide when it should stop. After a while, the cells are too busy dividing and growing and they stop making mucus. The colon cancer cells start to pile up on top of each other. Then they form a lump or a bump on the inside of the colon. If the bump sticks out into the inside of the colon, it is called a polyp. This is how we get polyps in colon cancer.
Next, there are 5 stages to colon cancer:
What is Stage 0 colon cancer?
A polyp on the inner lining is an indication or symptom of the first of the colon cancer stages. When the polyp is removed with routine surgery, the cancer is completely cured. While there is a very good chance that a polyp will never come back in the same place, polyps may grow in other places. That is why everyone needs to get screened every few years.
If the polyp is just on the inner lining of the colon or large intestine, doctors call this cancer carcinoma in situ or Stage 0 colon cancer.
The best way to find this type of colon cancer at a very early stage is to have your doctor give you a colonoscopy or other similar test. The American Cancer Society recommends that everyone get tested for colon cancer every few years after age 50.
What is Stage 1 colon cancer?
As the cancer cells keep growing and dividing, the lump or polyp gets bigger and bigger. When the polyp becomes large enough to push past the inner lining of the colon, into the middle layers, this is called Stage 1 colon cancer. Stage 1 colon cancer can be cured completely by cutting it out during routine colonoscopy surgery.
What is Stage 2 colon cancer?
The cancer cells keep growing and dividing. Remember, they don't have an "off" switch anymore. When the cancer cells push into the outer layer of the colon, doctors call this Stage 2 colon cancer. Stage 2 colon cancer can still be completely cured with surgery. Stage 2 colon cancer cells need to be cut out and removed. Some doctors suggest taking drugs or getting chemotherapy with Stage 2 colon cancer.
What is Stage 3 colon cancer?
Lymph nodes are like small sponges that suck up the extra fluid between the cells and tissues. The lymph nodes filter the fluid, and send it through special channels back into the blood vessels. Special white blood cells live in the lymph nodes and help to fight infections. When you get a sore throat, the lymph nodes in your neck make extra white blood cells to fight off the infection. Some people talk about the "swollen glands" in their neck when they get sick.
When cancer cells break through the outer wall of the colon, they can leak out and get absorbed by the lymph nodes. If cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes, that is called colon cancer stage 3. When the colon cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, the doctors say that the cancer is "metastatic" (met-ah-STAT-ick), or that the cancer has metastasized (meh-TA-stah-sized).
Colon cancer stage 3 that has spread to the lymph nodes is much more serious. You may have heard the expression that "it's hard to catch a horse after its left the barn." Cancer cells are the same way. Once they have spread to the lymph nodes, it is much harder to cure the cancer just with surgery. People with colon cancer stage 3 that has spread to only one, two, or three lymph nodes do better than other people with four or more lymph nodes with cancer cells in them.
Colon cancer stage 3 can be cured, but the doctor must remove a larger piece of the colon during surgery. Your doctor also takes out more lymph nodes so that they can be sent to a laboratory for viewing under a microscope to check for cancer cells. Most people with colon cancer stage 3 also take drugs or get chemotherapy.
What is Stage 4 colon cancer?
Colon cancer stage 4 occurs when the cancer cells spread out further than in Stage 3. They usually spread to the liver or the lungs first. It is much harder to "cure" colon cancer stage 4 than it is for the previous three stages. Sometimes, surgeons will cut out a part of the liver or a part of the lung where the cancer cells have spread. The cancer has to be cut out of the colon also, just as in colon cancer stage 3. Stage 4 is the last of the colon cancer stages.
What is the colon made of?
The colon or large intestine is a long tube that forms stool ("poop" or feces) from the food that you eat. This tube has an inside layer, with cells that form glands. Glands in the colon can make mucus, slimy material that helps make stools slippery. Other cells help to remove water from the stool. When those cells get sick and don't work right, you can get watery stool or diarrhea.
The colon also has an outside layer with some muscles in it. The muscles help to move the stool, and then push it out your body. The colon also has blood vessels, such as arteries and veins. These are nerves to tell the muscles when to move, and nearby lymph nodes.
Finally - what are the parts of your colon?
The right colon starts at the lower right corner of your belly, and goes up to meet the transverse colon underneath the right side of your ribcage. The transverse colon goes across the top of your abdomen, and connects the right colon to the left colon. The stool goes up here, so your doctor calls this the ascending colon.
The left colon connects to the transverse colon beginning underneath the left side of your ribcage. The colon ends at the rectum (that has the anus or "butt-hole"). There is an "S" shaped section called the sigmoid colon, which goes from the rectum over to the left side of your abdomen as the continuation and last part of the colon. Since the stool goes down to the sigmoid colon, the left colon is also called the descending colon by your doctor.
The colon is also called the large intestine. The small intestine is what is usually called "guts." You can see colon anatomy in the picture to the right.
Related pages:
- Facts on Colon Cancer - Knowing the facts on colon cancer can save your life.
- Colon Cancer Stages - Colon Cancer Stages describes the stages of colon cancer from zero to four. With each stage, it explains the degree of seriousness and the relative ease or difficulty of cure depending on the stage. The page also describes the anatomy of the colon and explains what a polyp is and how it can cause...
- What is Cancer? - What is Cancer provides concrete information on what cancer actually is. It continues to explain what happens to cancer cells and how the cells can create a ‘mass’ called a tumor ,or even push its way through a...
- What Causes Colon Cancer? - What Causes Colon Cancer discusses the various causes of colon cancer, such as how cancer cells come about and what they are. In addition it also explores various possible origins of cancer. Within each cause it goes into brief detail of what this specific issue can do to harm your body and the risk factor...
- Best Cancer Hospitals - 10 Best Cancer Hospitals gives a list of 10 well respected hospitals in the U.S that specialize in treating cancer. Furthermore it gives advice on how to seek a doctor fit for you and your treatment. You are provided with valuable information on how to make your decision on which doctor will be a best fit for your particular cancer, also advising you to always get a second...
- Hospital Insurance - Hospital insurance issues discusses common insurance concerns. You are encouraged to ask your health insurance provider specific questions which are listed on this page. In addition the page gives guidance on how to...
- Women Colon Cancer Patients - Women Colon Cancer Patients discusses how most people automatically assume that male colon cancer patients outnumber women, but in actuality there are slightly more women diagnosed with colon cancer. The page continues to explain the benefits of a colonoscopy and encourages you to...
- Types of Polyps - Types of Polyps lists the most common polyps. It goes on to describe each polyp and how dangerous the polyp could be to your body. Being aware of the different polyps is vital for cancer prevention and to...
- Colonoscopy Risks - Colonoscopy risks are rare but significant. This page explains how the benefits outweigh the risks, and goes on to express how the risks should not prevent anyone from getting screened. A colonoscopy is a crucial procedure for anyone over the age of 50 or if...
- Small Intestine Cancer - Women Colon Cancer Patients discusses how most people automatically assume that male colon cancer patients outnumber women, but in actuality there are slightly more women diagnosed with colon cancer. The page continues to explain the benefits of a colonoscopy and encourages you to...
- Sigmoid Colon - This page describes the anatomy of the sigmoid colon. It explains the colon’s main function, which is to absorb water and minerals and make and eliminate feces. Sigmoid cancer starts in the inner layer of tissue in the wall of the colon and rectum. Some important prevention methods are to maintain a healthy diet and...
- Famous People With Colon Cancer - This page illustrates the fact that famous people get cancer too! A long list of famous people with colon cancer is provided. The page briefly talks about Katie Couric and her bold attempt to raise colon cancer awareness by...
- Famous People With Cancer - Famous people with Cancer answers a question we’ve all been dying to know which is, how do famous people with cancer get special medical care? The page gives us Mr. Josephs story and how he took action against the big fight called cancer. He was not famous but...
- Cancer Costs - This page gives advice on how to deal with high cancer costs. It explains how essential it is to find out exactly how much your treatments will cost you and what your insurance provider intends to cover. You are encouraged to talk to your employer or explore other options if needed such as...
- Cost of Chemotherapy - The High Cost of Chemotherapy page gives guidance for alternative options in support of patients who cannot afford the cost of their treatment. Statistics show that 12% of colon cancer patients spend over 25,000 dollars out of pocket and...
- Gardner Syndrome - - Gardner Syndrome is a genetic disease that causes a person to have extra growths called polyps. Usually polyps are not cancerous but with this disease the polyps are 100% cancerous. If Gardner Syndrome runs in your family it is critical that you get screened as early as 10 to 12 years of age. Gardner Syndrome can also be originated from...
- History of Colon Cancer - This page discusses how vital it is for one to know about the history of colon cancer, especially if you have a family history of colon cancer. If any of your direct ancestors have had colon cancer then you are at high risk. The page also talks about the history of colon cancer treatment and provides a list of alternative therapies. Alternative therapies have been effective for some but...
- Types of Colon Polyps - There are 4 primary types of colon polyps. The two most common types are adenomatous and hyperplastic polyps. Polyps are not always be cancerous, and if detected early they can be easily removed. Getting a colonoscopy is the best way to prevent polyps from becoming cancerous. Polyps occur in about 30 to...
- Colonoscopy Sedation - Colonoscopy sedation is effective with various drugs and sometimes hypnosis. Two common colonoscopy sedation drugs are Versed and Propofol. Versed is commonly used as an anti-anxiety drug, it causes you to go into a state of deep relaxation or sleep and also causes amnesia. Propofol is a more powerful drug and is mainly used with patients who take narcotics for pain, unfortunately not all...
- Colon Cancer Prognosis - Colon cancer prognosis can vary for each stage of colon cancer. The prognosis at this point is typically a five year survival rate of less than 5 %. But keep in mind that...
- Lynch Syndrome - Lynch syndrome is an inherited disease that increases the chances of getting cancer. If you have this disease it is imporatant that you get screened regularly. Some of the symptoms can include...
- Health Insurance for Cancer - Health insurance for cancer is an insurance personally tailored to your situation and is usually some combination of major medical and supplemental cancer insurance. Since major medical insurance isn't always enough it's...
- Polyps in Colon - This article talks about colon polyps, benign lesions on the colon that may or may not lead to cancer of the colon. Most polyps on the colon need to be removed on the chance that they could lead to cancer. Some families have members with multiple polyps on their colons. These families need careful follow-up and treatment of their polyps.
- Top Cancer Hospitals - If you’ve been recently diagnosed with cancer, you have a lot of decisions to make. You want to go to the very best place available to you for your cancer treatment. A top cancer hospital has specialists that are the best in their field of cancer care. If you have colon cancer...
- Colon Surgery - Colon surgery can be done to remove benign or cancerous lesions of the colon. Doctors can do laparoscopic surgery or open surgery, depending on the type of lesion to be removed.
- List of Hospitals - If you have cancer, you are probably scared and want a list of hospitals that might help you. This article will help you find that list of hospitals you need to make the right choices in your care.
Do You Have A Story To Tell About Colon Cancer?
We discuss a great variety of topics and issues here on the colon cancer resource. However, we realize that YOU may have a personal story that you want to share with the world about your experience fighting colon cancer. WE WANT TO HEAR IT! Your personal story may include anything related to your disease that you feel could be encouraging or helpful to others in their struggle with colon cancer. Your personal identity is not necessary and your email address (should you decide to provide it) will not be shared.
Read Stories Other Visitors Have Told About Their Experience With Colon Cancer
Click below to read stories about colon cancer from other visitors...
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