Symptoms of bowel cancer in women - how to recognize the disease at an early stage

Author: Alexey Shevchenko December 03, 2019 23:06 Category: Survival problems

Good day, dear friends of Alexey Shevchenko’s blog “Healthy Lifestyle”. We live in an environment that is literally crammed with all sorts of substances that provoke the development of cancer. Therefore, it is not surprising that humanity is faced with a real cancer pandemic. Today there is not a single family that has managed to avoid encountering this serious illness. The organs of the gastrointestinal tract are affected especially often, and today I want to say a few words on the topic of symptoms of bowel cancer in women.

1 Some statistics
2 Who is at risk
3 General symptoms
4 Gastrointestinal symptoms
5 Stages of bowel cancer

Some statistics

Colon cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. It affects men more often than women, and representatives of the Negroid race are affected more often than Caucasians. Cancer is commonly associated with unhealthy diets, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle, which is why people in rich countries get sick more than those in poor countries. Economically prosperous regions account for 65% of colorectal cancer cases.

The development of cancerous tumors is influenced by a huge number of factors, but they can be divided into two large groups:

hereditary predisposition (presence of certain genes);
environment.

Today it is known for certain that the main cellular mutations that cause intestinal cancer are only 10% caused by genetics, and 90% are associated with the influence of external influences.

In Russia, 50,000 patients are diagnosed with this terrible diagnosis every year, most of them over 45 years old.

Although the overall incidence of bowel cancer is lower in women than in men, the mortality rate is slightly higher in women. Statistics show that:

among women, out of 150,000 cancer patients who die, 17% are from colon cancer;
among men, out of 177,000 deaths - 11.9%.

But in general the differences are not too striking.

Manifestations of the disease

Symptoms of bowel cancer in women will vary depending on the location of the tumor and the stage of development. If the intestines are damaged, predominantly on the right side, they will feel pain in the abdomen, diarrhea, and blood in the stool. If the cancerous tumor is located on the left side, belching, constipation, heaviness in the abdomen and increased gas formation will appear.

Each stage of the disease has its own manifestations associated with ongoing changes.

Stage of pathology development	Process characteristics
Stage 0	A collection of abnormal cells in one place, they quickly divide and mutate. It is almost impossible to detect; a blood test helps identify it.
stage No. 1	Rapid growth of the tumor, but it does not grow beyond the intestines. Metastases do not form. The symptoms are similar to many diseases of the digestive system. The disease can be detected by performing a colonoscopy.
stage No. 2	Metastases appear, the tumor reaches a size of up to 5 cm. It grows inside the intestine and spreads to other tissues.
stage No. 3	The neoplasm grows rapidly, penetrates the intestinal tissue, and metastases spread to neighboring internal organs.
stage No. 4	The tumor has grown significantly, metastases have spread throughout the body, intoxication has affected all organs and systems.

Who's at risk

No one is immune from cancer. But there are several categories of people who need to be especially attentive to the signs of intestinal cancer. These categories include the following:

people who have close blood relatives suffering from intestinal cancer;
if the papilloma virus is present in the body;
women during menopause;
elderly age;
patients suffering from intestinal polyps or chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
people who regularly drink large amounts of alcohol (alcoholism as such may not exist);
smokers;
high levels of obesity;
serious eating disorders.

Types of colon cancer

About 96% of malignant colon tumors are adenocarcinomas. They arise as a result of malignant degeneration of glandular cells of the mucous membrane that produce mucus. When people say the phrase “colon cancer,” they usually mean adenocarcinoma of the colon. There are different subtypes of it. Some, such as mucinous adenocarcinoma and signet ring cell carcinoma, behave more aggressively and have a poorer prognosis.

General symptoms

Early-stage colon cancer develops so slowly that even a preventive examination of the intestines - colonoscopy - is performed for healthy people only once every five years. Such a long interval is explained by the fact that if the examination did not show anything this year, then even if there are the beginnings of a tumor in the intestine, it will still not be noticeable over the next five years.

One can only wonder how, with such a slow growth rate, the tumor manages to hold one of the first places in mortality. (How preparation for a colonoscopy should be carried out is described here, and the connection between antibiotics and intestinal oncology is described here).

It is the “slowness” of the development of a malignant neoplasm in the intestine that makes diagnosis difficult. The tumor hides in the “wilds” of a multi-meter organ (and the length of the human intestine in a relaxed state reaches 8 meters), and it is extremely difficult to detect.

Therefore, a woman’s attention to her health and an adequate assessment of her condition are of great importance in early diagnosis.

One of the most common manifestations of cancer is unexplained weight loss. Unfortunately, it is the female part of the population that is not alarmed when they discover this sign, but, on the contrary, is delighted. “I eat whatever I want and don’t get fat!” - this is the dream of most representatives of the fair sex living in a pandemic of obesity. But miracles, alas, do not happen. “I eat and don’t get fat” always means only one thing – a serious malfunction has occurred in the body, resulting in an inability to absorb food.

Loss of appetite. This symptom appears as the tumor grows. The vital activity of cancer cells gradually disrupts all the main functions of the organ, and the person completely loses his appetite, and sometimes even develops an aversion to food. Most often, meat is abandoned as the remaining healthy intestines try to make their work easier.

But even here it is extremely difficult for a woman to navigate. After all, the majority of patients are women who have entered menopause or are elderly. In this age group, a decrease in appetite and a decrease in cravings for highly nutritious protein foods are natural processes. The body slowly withers - it no longer needs as much protein and other nutrients as it did during growth and reproductive prime.

Following weight loss and loss of appetite are constant fatigue and anemia. Due to the inability to fully absorb nutrients and constant microbleeding from the tumor, the level of hemoglobin in the blood steadily decreases.

“Unreasonable” increases in temperature are often observed. The tumor slowly poisons the body and causes a reaction similar to inflammation. The temperature is not too high, but persists and does not respond to any treatment.

Causes of pathology

Colon cancer is not a new disease, but it is spreading rapidly. Many years of research by scientists and analysis of the disease have made it possible to identify the most significant causes that increase the degree of development of the disease in the body:

Genetic predisposition, including a hereditary mutation in the APC gene, which is responsible for the constancy of the number of cells in tissues and the adequacy of the reactions of these cells. Disturbances in it trigger the process of tissue proliferation, including the appearance of familial adenomatous polyposis. With this disease, the risk of acquiring a colon tumor by age 40 is 90%.
Precancerous diseases are pathological changes in organ tissues that precede the formation of a malignant tumor, but do not always develop into it. In normal condition, the mucous tissue of the intestinal walls is constantly renewed, thanks to beneficial microflora. If any pathologies or abnormalities occur, this process is disrupted, and lump-like growths (polyps) form on the walls of the organ. In the future, they can degenerate into malignant neoplasms.

Minor factors that increase the chances of developing colon cancer include:

age – foci of cancer activity in people over 50 years of age are recorded much more often;
inflammatory processes;
nutrition;
bad habits;
physical inactivity (sedentary lifestyle).

Inflammatory processes

Diseases accompanied by severe, prolonged inflammation in the colon have a detrimental effect on the microflora of the organ. The cells of the mucous tissue gradually change their structure and properties, degenerate, and scars or ulcers appear. Over time, neoplasms can trigger the onset of colon cancer, growing and transforming into deadly tumor cells.

Nutrition

Scientists have proven that a daily menu consisting of foods with a large amount of proteins, fats and a minimum content of plant fiber several times increases the likelihood of developing malignant tumors. This is directly affected by carcinogenic substances. They are formed under the influence of microorganisms that break down the remains of food that enters the intestines.

Under the influence of microscopic bacteria, multiple reactions occur in the organ: phenols, nitrosamines are formed, ammonia is released, etc. Including primary bile acids, bacteria are converted into secondary ones. They are the ideal basis for the development of cancer cells in the large intestine. The concentration of these acids depends on the food consumed by a person. Accordingly, the more “wrong” foods are on the menu, the higher the concentration of secondary acids and the risk of cancer cell formation.

Bad habits

According to statistics, cases of colon cancer are recorded 30% more often in chronic smokers than in non-smokers. During smoking, in addition to nicotine, a large amount of toxic tars and carcinogenic substances settle in the lung tissue. They enter the blood and spread throughout the body, reaching all organs and tissues. These substances have a detrimental effect on the entire life support system as a whole and can trigger the development of cancer in any organ, not just in the large intestine.

Abuse of alcoholic beverages leads to the formation of toxic substances in the liver, which does not have time to remove them and they enter the large intestine. Their frequent impact on normal cells of the colon transforms the latter into cancer cells, and also has a detrimental effect on the condition of the intestinal mucous tissue itself, irritating it and disrupting its renewal.

Physical inactivity

People with insufficient physical activity are more at risk of developing cancer cells in the colon. This is explained by the fact that low mobility disrupts normal peristalsis and tone of the muscle tissue of the organ. This leads to stagnation of food, impaired formation of feces, frequent constipation, changes the intestinal microflora and, as a result, leads to multiple complications.

Gastrointestinal symptoms

The tumor affects one of the main organs of the gastrointestinal tract, so over time a set of symptoms appears that are characteristic specifically of digestive problems.

Belching and flatulence. The tumor disrupts intestinal motility, and when it reaches a sufficient size, it begins to interfere with the free movement of food masses. This leads to stagnation and intensifies the processes of decay, which produces a large amount of gases with a characteristic odor of hydrogen sulfide.

Heartburn. Violation of the dynamics of food movement leads to the fact that the contents of the stomach are thrown back into the esophagus in small portions. This is accompanied by a burning sensation, and a sour taste may appear in the mouth.

Ascites. The tumor interferes with the normal circulation of fluid, and it begins to stagnate in the abdominal cavity. This leads to a gradual increase in the abdomen against the background of general emaciation.

Diarrhea, nausea, constipation. As the tumor progresses, it becomes more and more difficult for the intestines to cope with their task. The light intervals between constipation and diarrhea are becoming less and less, and nausea turns into a constant companion of life. Constipation can last for many days, and it is impossible to “break through” it with any tricks. Blood and mucus are often mixed into the stool.

As a rule, it is the presence of blood that forces the patient to see a doctor and undergo an examination (however, many people mistake this for hemorrhoids and try to self-medicate, wasting precious time).

Stomach ache. Pain is a mandatory sign of any cancer. The growing tumor itself compresses numerous nerve endings, which causes pain. In addition, the intestines are constantly swollen due to impaired dynamics, and this also leads to pain.

Difficulty urinating. The tumor process displaces organs in the abdominal cavity, and the free flow of urine may be impaired. Also, the tumor often causes changes in the chemical composition of the urine itself. It becomes more burning, and the act of urination is accompanied by pain.

Warning signs

Depending on the location of the tumor, certain symptoms of bowel cancer may appear. It is advisable to divide them into 3 groups.

Symptoms of small intestine cancer.
Symptoms of colon cancer.
Nonspecific symptoms of an oncological process in the body.

Small bowel cancer

Oncological diseases rarely affect the upper intestines. However, it is there that they are diagnosed later due to the mildness of symptoms. Early clinical signs are only present when the tumor is located in the area of the papilla of Vater - the area where the bile and pancreatic ducts flow into the duodenum. Tissue growth can block the flow of digestive secretions. In this regard, there are:

icteric staining of the skin and visible mucous membranes;
skin itching;
pain in the right hypochondrium;
pain in the epigastric region (along the midline of the abdomen at the level of the ribs joining the sternum), encircling the left side;
a picture characteristic of chronic cholecystitis and pancreatitis.

Colon cancer

Tumor damage to the lower intestine manifests itself the earlier, the closer the tumor is located to the anus. Complaints, as a rule, are well formulated by patients and bring them to the doctor quite early.

Unstable stool is an alternation of diarrhea and constipation, which usually indicates a partial blockage of the intestinal lumen.
“Ribbon-shaped” stool is observed if the tumor is located in the rectum and prevents the passage of stool.
Blood usually appears on the surface of already formed stool in the form of stripes or streaks.
At later stages, mucus and pus appear in the stool (already when the tumor disintegrates).
Tenesmus is a painful urge to defecate associated with irritation of the rectum by excess tissue or pathological discharge (blood, mucus and pus). At the same time, there is no feces ready to be excreted from the body.
Gas and fecal incontinence occurs when cancer destroys the anal sphincter and it loses its ability to hold intestinal contents.
If a growing tumor completely blocks the intestinal lumen, a picture of obstruction develops. In this case, the patient is urgently hospitalized in a surgical hospital for surgical treatment. Often this is the first and only manifestation of cancer.
When the tumor grows through all layers of the intestinal wall and involves the abdominal cavity, a picture of peritonitis or ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdomen) is possible.
A rectal tumor in women can spread to the tissues of the vagina and bladder. Then patients experience difficulties in sexual activity and urination. In the stage of decay, fistulas form between these organs. In this case, gases and feces may be released from the vagina, and urine from the anus.

Stages of bowel cancer

Doctors distinguish 4 stages of disease development.

Zero stage. External signs are completely absent, the patient considers himself a healthy person. Only a special blood test can confirm the diagnosis, and not always.

First stage. The tumor grows, but does not extend beyond the intestines. The symptoms are similar to a minor intestinal disease. The disease can be detected during a colonoscopy.

Second stage. The tumor exceeds 5 centimeters, the main tumor extends beyond the intestine, and metastases begin to appear. Pain syndrome appears.

Third stage. Aggressive spread of the tumor, metastases involve other organs and tissues.

Fourth stage. Catastrophic tumor growth, spread of metastases throughout the body, severe intoxication, near-death state.

In women, diagnosis is further complicated by the fact that the intestinal tumor sometimes begins to grow into the uterus. There is quite a lot of space there, and in this case the patient does not experience any serious inconvenience for a very long time, and accordingly, does not see a doctor until the later stages. Therefore, doctors advise under no circumstances to neglect regular preventive examinations with a gynecologist, who may suspect something is wrong and give a referral to oncology. The sooner treatment is started, the greater the chance of defeating the tumor and continuing a normal life.

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Causes and stages

The most important causes of intestinal cancer are:

frequent use of diets, because of this the body receives a lot of solid food and fats;
heavy weight;
abuse of bad habits. This includes drinking alcohol, smoking and drugs;
There are inflammatory pathologies in the intestines.

According to doctors, those most prone to the disease are those who were often sick in childhood and were exposed to heavy antibiotics. In most cases, colon cancer is detected in people aged 39-70 years. This is the percentage of those who frequently took antibiotics without interruption.

Colon cancer develops in stages. There are 4 stages of cancer in total.

First stage of colon cancer. This stage is also called the initial stage. Typically, at this stage of cancer development there are no symptoms. At this stage, the disease can only be identified in a clinical setting. Because at the initial stage the disease neither metastasizes nor grows.
Second stage of the disease At the second stage, the disease can be detected only if there is tumor growth. It is small in diameter - about centimeters. However, when examined by an experienced doctor, it can be felt. But, at this stage there is only a tumor, but no metastasis.
The third stage of cancer cell development. At this stage, the tumor can affect almost half of the organ. The size of the tumor at this stage is about 6 centimeters in diameter. Metastases may periodically begin to appear.
The fourth stage of cancer development (last) This stage of the disease is considered the most critical, since there is a risk of human death. At this stage, metastases begin to grow. The disease affects almost the entire organ, and begins to grow on other organs. In size, the tumor is the same as at stage 3. According to statistics, every year almost 22% of all cancer patients die because the diagnosis was made at the wrong time.

Galina
2018-12-04
Oncology is increasingly becoming a cause of death among the population, thanks for the clarification. Very often the diagnosis is made already at the stage and practically nothing can be done. Of course, women over 45 need to be examined by doctors more often and monitor their health.
Answer
Svetlana
2018-12-05
Very often, diagnostic tests are not able to detect a tumor at an early stage of its development, so the patient begins treatment late. Hence the high mortality rate.
Answer
Svetlana
2018-12-12
Wow, what difficult topics you bring up. But, of course, it is better to know the signs of such terrible diseases in order to seek help as quickly as possible.
Answer

Diagnosis of the disease

Making a correct diagnosis is very important, especially in the early stages of the disease. The set of measures to clarify the diagnosis includes digital examination of part of the rectum to detect formations. Irrigoscopy is used - an X-ray examination of the intestine, into which a contrast agent was injected using an enema.

The condition of the mucous membrane can be examined by sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy. If necessary, a tissue sample is taken for examination. Tomography is used to detect metastases. A test for tumor markers is required, and a stool test is taken to detect hidden blood.

Conclusion

You can give your body a chance if you carefully monitor your health and quickly consult a doctor if you suspect an illness. Many pathologies have the same symptoms. It is easy to confuse them even for a professional specialist; it is not always possible to identify the initial stage of a neoplasm during examination.

In order to preserve their health, women must undergo annual examinations with a gynecologist; regular visits to the examination room are provided. There is a possibility of identifying the disease during such examinations. The sooner people seek help, the greater the chance of a successful outcome. The modern level of development of medicine allows us to significantly prolong the life of patients even with large tumors.

In what cases is a colostomy performed?

A colostomy is an artificially created opening with a section of the colon inserted into it, intended for the removal of gases and feces.

Indications for colostomy for rectal cancer are:

Removal of most of the tumor-affected colon.
There is a high risk of complications that may arise when the ends of the colon are sutured after surgery to remove a fragment of it.
Impossibility of tumor removal. In this case, a colostomy is performed to restore intestinal patency in order to remove gases and feces.
The presence of complications accompanying the tumor process (the occurrence of fistulas, suppuration).
Tumor growth into adjacent organs.
The presence of severe inflammation in the large intestine after radiation therapy.

A colostomy can be temporary or permanent. In the first option, after a certain period of time, another operation is performed, during which the ends of the intestine are sewn together and the hole made in the skin is closed.

Patients who have undergone colostomy are forced to use colostomy bags - special containers for collecting stool.

What is an intestinal tumor?

An intestinal tumor is a pathological proliferation of cells of the intestinal wall of different size, structure and quality. Intestinal tumors grow from the muscular, glandular or epithelial layer. Neoplasms affect the duodenum, ileum, jejunum, cecum with appendix, colon, sigmoid, rectum.

Based on the nature of intestinal tumors, they are divided into benign and malignant. Benign tumors grow inside the intestinal lumen and do not spread to other organs. However, sooner or later, some types of benign tumors become malignant. Malignant neoplasms behave aggressively - they spread their cells to other organs, turning them into the same cancerous tumors.

Diagnostics

Early diagnosis of colon cancer is complicated by the absence of characteristic symptoms at the very beginning of the development of the tumor process.

Endoscopic methods

Endoscopic methods include the following procedures:

Sigmoidoscopy. The object of study using a sigmoidoscope is the rectum and lower parts of the sigmoid colon. A flexible tube lubricated with gel and equipped with powerful optics that can magnify the resulting image many times, inserted through the anus, makes it possible to detect the presence of the most minor pathological changes in the intestinal mucosa.
Colonoscopy. The colonoscopy procedure is performed using a colonoscope, which also has an optical system and a video camera connected to a monitor. The ability to manipulate the device allows the doctor not only to detect the presence of pathology, but also to remove polyps, as well as take material for a biopsy. Colonoscopy helps to look at the condition of the entire large intestine.

X-ray

X-ray methods are represented by the following procedures:

Barium enema. Before the procedure, the patient is given an enema containing a suspension of barium sulfate, after which a series of x-rays are taken. The barium suspension, which evenly covers the intestinal walls, creates a “filling defect” in the image, which makes it possible to detect the presence of polyps or cancerous tumors.
Computed tomography. This method, used when it is necessary to detect metastases, allows you to take multiple layer-by-layer images of the organ under study using X-rays.
Magnetic resonance imaging. The MRI procedure is also intended for layer-by-layer visualization of the tissues being studied, but only through electromagnetic radiation. The absence of ionizing radiation makes it safer.
Chest X-ray. The procedure is indispensable for identifying metastases in the lungs.
Positron emission tomography. Given the high need of cancer cells for sugar, the PET procedure uses sugar labeled with radioactive substances. The accumulation of these substances in a certain area of the body indicates the presence of a cancerous tumor. Using a special camera, the doctor can determine its location and size.

Genetic testing

This type of examination, aimed at identifying genes in the patient’s genetic code that are responsible for the transformation of healthy cells into cancer cells, is performed if the patient has close relatives suffering from colorectal cancer.

Laboratory methods

Laboratory tests for a patient's colon cancer include:

Examination of feces for occult blood.
General and biochemical blood test.
Performing a biopsy.

Ultrasonography

An ultrasound procedure, which uses ultrasound waves to obtain a three-dimensional image of internal organs, can detect a tumor, determine its size and determine the presence of distant metastases.

What tumor markers are determined?

With colon cancer, levels may be elevated:

carcinoembryonic antigen;
tumor marker CA 242, produced by cancer cells that have affected the tissue of the pancreas and colon;
CA 19-9 antigen, which detects tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas;
a specific tumor marker CA 72-4, which appears in the blood for tumors of the ovaries, colon and gastric carcinoma.

Test and how much does it cost?

A person who has discovered alarming symptoms can test his stool at home for the presence of occult blood.

To do this, just go to the pharmacy, purchase a test for colon cancer and perform a series of simple procedures, following the manufacturer’s recommendations.

The cost of one home test for colon cancer from Russian manufacturers does not exceed 250 rubles. A foreign-made test will cost 2,200 rubles.

Causes

The development of a malignant tumor in the large intestine can be provoked by various factors. Medical research conducted over many years has shown which factors can increase the risk of developing the disease. In case of development of colon cancer, the reasons may be as follows:

age – the disease is more common in older people;
various inflammations in the colon;
genetic predisposition - often the disease is hereditary, so the risk of developing colorectal cancer increases by twenty-five percent if there have already been cases of this disease in the family;
poor diet - eating excessively fatty foods with insufficient fiber content can trigger the development of cancer;
decreased physical activity causes constipation and decreased intestinal motility, which can lead to the development of neoplasms;
unhealthy lifestyle, smoking and alcohol abuse;
polyposis - polyps in the colon are capable of degenerating into cancerous tumors;
helminthic infestations - parasites secrete toxins that promote cell degeneration.

The pathology can develop asymptomatically over several years. It is important to identify the disease in a timely manner - the prognosis of treatment depends on this.

Prevention and prognosis

To reduce the likelihood of developing such a disease, you must follow simple rules:

completely give up bad habits;
eat properly and nutritiously;
engage in timely treatment of gastrointestinal pathologies that can lead to colon cancer;
lead a moderately active lifestyle;
take medications only as prescribed by a clinician;
be regularly examined by a gastroenterologist, especially for those who have a genetic predisposition.

The prognosis of the disease directly depends on at what stage of the cancer the diagnosis was made. In the first, the five-year survival rate reaches 93%, in the second – 75%, in the third – less than 50%, in the fourth – 5%. Without treatment, a person with this disease can live for about one year.

Rectal cancer - treatment

A malignant tumor of the rectum must be removed. If the formation is benign, the basis of treatment is drug therapy. The selection, dosage, frequency and duration of taking the drug are determined individually. Rectal cancer is treated using the following techniques:

radiation therapy;
chemotherapy;
surgical intervention.

Rectal cancer - recommendations

When a rectal tumor is detected, treatment begins with determining the size and location of the lesion. At the same time, doctors insist on surgical treatment of the disease. Patients are advised to review their diet and follow hygiene rules so as not to accelerate the pathological process. In general, medical recommendations for this pathological process look like this:

regular examination to exclude progression of pathology;
fulfillment of assignments;
rejection of bad habits.

Rectal cancer - surgery

The volume and type of surgery for rectal cancer are determined based on the results of the studies. When choosing surgical tactics, doctors take into account the location of the tumor and its size. Depending on these parameters, the following types of operations for rectal cancer are distinguished:

Intra-abdominal resection
- removal of the damaged section of the intestine followed by suturing of the cut edges.
Hartmann's operation
- after removal of the tumor, the upper end of the intestine is removed in the form of a colostomy, the lower end is sutured.
Peritoneal-anal resection of the rectum
- the intestine is removed, the upper end is pulled inside the lower end. After ingrowth, excess intestine extended into the anus is removed.
Extirpation of the rectum
- complete removal of the intestine and anus, forming a colostomy.

Diet for colorectal cancer

Nutrition for colorectal cancer should be balanced. When preparing your daily diet, you need to consider some rules:

Exclude from the diet foods containing animal fats - meat, lard, mayonnaise, margarine, smoked, fried foods.
Increase the amount of foods containing selenium: sea fish, seafood (octopus, seaweed), parsley, parsnips, broccoli, dried fruits, sunflower seeds, dried fruits.
Reduce the amount of sweets and flour products.
Avoid products containing chemical additives, flavor enhancers, and preservatives.

Treatment

The leading treatment method for colon cancer is surgery. Most often, patients undergo radical surgery: partial hemicolectomy or colectomy. The operation can be open (performed through an incision in the abdominal wall) or laparoscopic, performed through several small incisions into which manipulators and a miniature video system are inserted. If the lymph nodes are affected, lymphadenectomy is performed.
An equally important method of treatment is chemotherapy - the use of drugs that inhibit the division of cancer cells, as a result of which the tumor decreases in size, stops its rapid growth, or reduces the likelihood of its metastasis to other organs. Chemotherapy can be used before surgery, after surgery, and as the primary treatment for inoperable forms of cancer.
Radiotherapy, which uses x-rays to destroy cancer cells, is a third therapeutic option for treating colon cancer.

Used preoperatively, it can lead to a significant reduction in cancer tumor size. When treating a patient who has undergone surgery, radiation therapy destroys abnormal cells remaining after surgery, preventing recurrence of the malignancy.

Causes of intestinal tumors

The reasons for the development of intestinal neoplasms have not yet been established for certain. There are several assumptions:

a small amount of fiber with an excess of fats and proteins, which provokes frequent constipation;
eating salty, smoked, fatty foods with an abundance of chemical ingredients;
long course of drug treatment - antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antacids;
long-term inflammatory process - nonspecific colitis, Crohn's disease;
hereditary predisposition;
chronic heavy metal poisoning;
constant exposure to high doses of ionizing radiation;
introduction of certain viruses, such as immunodeficiency.

Nutrition is of great importance in the etiology of tumor formations. A decrease in the proportion of natural plant fibers, consumption of excess fats, chemicals, and sugars leads to stagnation of feces, an imbalance of intestinal flora and, as a result, prolonged contact of the intestines with toxins.

Signs of tumors by structure and properties

According to their structure and properties, all intestinal neoplasms are divided into two large groups - benign and malignant. Neuroendocrine tumors are rare and can be harmless or oncogenic.

Benign

This type of outgrowth is formed from different types of tissues. Depending on the tissue that has become the substrate for the tumor, there are:

adenomatous polyps - from epithelial tissue;
lipomas - from adipose tissue;
angiomas - from vascular tissue;
fibroids - from connective tissue;
leiomyomas - from muscle tissue.

Such tumors have clear boundaries and grow around the circumference of the intestine or inside its lumen. They can reach large sizes, leading to intestinal blockage. They do not tend to spread throughout the body. However, over time they can transform into cancer.

Neuroendocrine

A special group of neoplasms are neuroendocrine tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. Neuroendocrine tumors, or NETs for short, are formed from cells that produce peptide hormones. These hormones regulate digestive processes.

Neuroendocrine neoplasms have varying degrees of danger:

benign tumor with an undetermined degree of malignancy;
with a low possibility of cancer transformation;
with a high risk of oncogenic transformation.

The frequency of detection of neuroendocrine outgrowths is in 10 people out of 100 thousand. The predominant localization is the vermiform appendix of the cecum (appendix). The pathology is hereditary in nature.

A characteristic sign of a neuroendocrine neoplasm is the periodic release of serotonin and prostaglandins into the blood. A person feels a rush of heat to the face and neck, which lasts from several minutes to an hour.

Malignant

The development of a malignant intestinal tumor has several options for growth and spread:

growth is directed inside the intestinal lumen;
the tumor spreads along the intestinal wall, accompanied by ulcers and erosions of the intestinal tube;
all layers of the intestinal wall are diffusely affected;
the tumor spreads along the circular perimeter of the intestine.

The demarcation line of neoplasms is blurred; tumor cancer cells invade all tissues that were recently normal.

Intestinal cancer is detected at different stages of development. Oncologists distinguish the following phases of cancer formation in the intestines:

early stage zero, when the tumor has just begun and not all diagnostic methods can detect it;
the next stage is called “cancer in situ”, the neoplasm does not affect neighboring tissues;
the first stage of cancer is detected when oncogenic cells penetrate the submucosal layer;
in the second round of the disease, cancer pathology approaches the muscle layer;
the third stage is characterized by the germination of cancer cells into the tissues surrounding the intestine with foci of metastases;
in the last phase of cancer, the tumor invades the peritoneum, abdominal and pelvic organs with many metastases.

Metastases are found in nearby or distant lymph nodes, where they arrive with the flow of lymphatic fluid.

Classification according to ICD-10

For cancer of the large intestine, the general code according to ICD-10 is C18, the number after the dot is considered to clarify which part of the intestine is affected: C18.0 - cancer of the cecum, C18.1 - cancer of the appendix, C18.2 - cancer of the ascending intestine. Further numbers correspond to the sections of the intestine in order: hepatic flexure, transverse colon, splenic flexure, cancer of the descending section. C18.7 – cancer of the rectosigmoid region. C18.8 is a code meaning several foci of the disease in different parts of the large intestine, and C18.9 is cancer of the large intestine, without specifying the department.

In 40% of cases, the disease affects parts of the colon (ascending, descending transverse), 20% of colon cancer - inflammation in the cecum or rectum. Most often this is a squamous cell type of cancer, and 10% occur in the sigmoid part of the colon.

Cancer is treated in many countries, but the leading clinics in the world are medical centers in Germany, the USA and Israel.

Cancerous tumor in the intestine

Diagnosis of intestinal tumors

The appearance of blood in the stool and unstable stool serves as a signal to immediately check the small and large intestines for the presence of a tumor.

Diagnosis of the thin section

After contacting a gastroenterologist, the diagnostic examination process begins:

examination of the small intestine with plain radiography to identify the location;
An x-ray with contrast will show the size and shape of the growth;
intestinoscopy will allow you to examine the formation on the monitor screen;
a fibrogastroscope will take a piece of tumor from the duodenum for examination;
the fibrocolonoscope will penetrate to the ileum;
use ultrasound, CT, MRI methods;
Diagnostic laparoscopy is used as a last resort.

The patient's blood is examined for hemoglobin, coagulation, and a possible increase in the level of leukocytes. A stool test checks for occult blood. Modern research methods make it possible to exclude pathologies that are clinically similar, but different in nature - infectious lesions, blood diseases, foreign bodies, and others.

Diagnosis of the thick section

Diagnosis in proctology begins with a digital examination of the rectum. New growths located at the entrance to the anus are visible to the doctor during external examination.

To diagnose benign and malignant tumors of the large intestine, use:

anoscopy;
sigmoidoscopy;
irrigoscopy;
colonoscopy;
radiography;
Ultrasound, CT, MRI.

Using optical instruments during colonoscopy, the image is displayed on a monitor screen for detailed examination. A piece of tumor tissue is taken and examined in the laboratory, where the nature of the tumor is determined (benign, malignant).

Stages and their survival prognosis

For colon cancer, the five-year survival rate of patients is directly dependent on the stage of its detection:

At stage 1, characterized by a small tumor that does not leave the mucous and submucosal layer of the intestinal wall and has not yet spread to the lymph nodes, the survival rate is 95%.
At stage 2, when a malignant neoplasm that has begun to grow into the muscle layer affects more than half of the intestine (and a single penetration into the lymph nodes may be observed), the survival rate is 75%.
At stage 3, characterized by tumor growth into the serosa or its metastasis to a number of regional lymph nodes, only half of the patients survive.
At stage 4, when the pathological process has spread to the tissues of nearby organs and the process of distant metastasis has begun, the prognosis for survival does not exceed 10%.

Complications

Colon cancer is a serious cancer that, without timely treatment, can cause serious damage to internal organs and death.

Complications of colon cancer can include:

abscess;
phlegmon;
peritonitis;
intestinal perforation with paraproctitis.

If there are complications, the patient is prescribed additional examinations and specialized treatment. The prognosis for successful treatment is worsening, so to prevent such consequences it is necessary to carry out diagnosis immediately after the first signs of oncology appear.

Disease prevention

Specific prevention in the form of vaccination against colon cancer has not yet been invented. However, there are a number of individual behavior measures that will help prevent the disease:

Giving up your bad habits: smoking, alcohol addiction, etc.
Following a diet with a high content of plant fiber and a reduced content of smoked, fried meat, sausages, and semi-finished products.
Drink plenty of fluids; daily fluid intake for a person should be at least 1.5 liters.
Lead an active lifestyle, play sports, maintain a daily routine, work and rest.
Undergo regular medical examinations.

If you follow these simple rules, your health will be at a high level.