The colon is a part of our digestive system. It is also called the big intestine. When the cells in this part of the body start to multiply without and control or order it is develops in cancer. The treatment of colon cancer depends on the stage of the cancer. In other words how far the cancer has spread decides what treatment is given. Stage IV colon cancer is the last stage of the cancer.
Several tests are conducted to decide at what stage the cancer is. If the cancer is found in the lining of the colon then the stage is called stage I. If the cancer cells are found in the abdominal cavity or near other organs but they have not penetrated in the organs then it is stage II colon cancer. At stage III the cancer invades one or more lymph nodes but not distant organs. When the cancer spreads to distant organs such as the liver or the lungs then it is called stage IV colon cancer.
Stage IV colon cancer has two types. One of the types is where the cancer is spread through out the body and affected many organs so that it becomes impossible to treat it surgically. The other type is when the cancer is spread to distant organs in the body but it is confined to one site or organ.
The spread of the cancer to different organs is also called metastatic cancer. If the metastasis is found in a single organ the patient may benefit from a localized treatment for the cancer. But if the cancer has invaded many more organs then treating the patients become that much difficult.
Stage IV colon cancer may be treated combining one or more treatments such as Chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, or targeted therapy. It is important to consider the patient’s age and the spread of cancer when deciding the treatment techniques to be used. Sometimes very aggressive treatment is not advisable. The focus is to treat the cancer and increase the chances of survival of the patient.
For stage IV colon cancer patient the survival period is five years. With change in life style and reducing risk factors some patients may beat the five year survival period. Each patient is unique. So the physician takes into consideration all the factors and then starts the treatment. Even if the cancer is not treatable, the treatment may be given to increase comfort level of the patient.
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