Symptoms and Different stages of Colon Cancer

Colon cancer is one of the preventable cancers and its symptoms are not easily identifiable. The colon cancer, when diagnosed, is usually at the advanced stage. It is also necessary to be informed about the symptoms of colon cancer as it would help you to take care of your health.

There are many symptoms of colon cancer and these symptoms cannot be identified in the early stages of colon cancer. Hence, it is highly recommended to opt for regular health checkups once an individual attains the age of fifty.

The symptoms of colon cancer are classified into two types. They are Local and Systemic symptoms.

The local colon cancer symptoms are diarrhea, constipation, changes in bowel movement and frequent gas pains or cramps. The systemic colon cancer symptoms are jaundice, anemia, unexplained fatigue, loss of appetite nausea, vomiting and jaundice.

It is necessary to consult a doctor if you experience any of these symptoms mentioned above. This will help you to do the necessary tests and also prepare yourself before doing these tests.

The different stages of colon cancer are described here:

• The first stage is the stage 0 i.e. is the earliest stage of colon cancer. This stage can be described as the findings of a group of abnormal cells in an individual’s colon. This stage is just the beginning of cancer and is not dangerous to the individual’s life.
• The next stage is the stage I when the cancer has spread outwards beyond the inner tissue layer that exists on the wall of the individual’s colon.
• The stage II of colon cancer is divided into Stage IIA and Stage IIB. In stage II A colon cancer, is the cancer spreads to the middle layers of the tissue in the walls of the colon and the surrounding tissues. Stage IIB occurs when the colon cancer has spread into the organs in the region or into the abdominal wall.
• In stage III, the cancer spreads to the other organs of the body and requires aggressive treatment such as chemotherapy, surgical resection and other medical therapies.
• In the stage IV, this cancer spreads to other organs such as liver or lungs.

Colon cancer chemotherapy is recommended for treating the stage III and stage IV of colon cancer along with the biologic therapies. It is sometimes also recommended for the stage II colon cancer.