Bowel cancer (colon and rectum)
ADVANTAGES OF TREATMENT AND DIAGNOSTICS OF COLON AND RECTAL CANCER IN THE UNIVERSAL CLINIC "OBERIG":
Comprehensive care in the conditions of a highly specialized medical institution: from diagnostics to all types of oncological treatment (surgical, chemotherapy, immunobiological and targeted therapy, radiation therapy).
If surgical removal of colon / rectal cancer is necessary, preference is given to endoscopic methods - without incisions on the body, with an easier and shorter postoperative recovery period, a short hospital stay.
Possibility of free radiation therapy within the framework of the clinic's cooperation with the National Health Insurance Fund.
Use of all advanced technologies and modern methods of cancer treatment in accordance with world standards.
Own pathohistological center with experienced histologists and modern equipment, which allows you to get an accurate diagnosis and select drugs for drug treatment.
Installation of special ports for long-term intravenous infusions in patients requiring chemotherapy.
Comfortable conditions of stay in the clinic and support of a clinical oncologist at all stages of treatment.
Follow-up after cancer treatment for the purpose of early detection and timely treatment of relapses or progression of the disease.
ABOUT THE DISEASE - GENERAL INFORMATION
Colorectal cancer affects the lowest part of the human intestine. The term "colon cancer" is not correct, since the intestine also includes the small intestine.
Colorectal cancer can be called a "silent killer". A colon tumor grows slowly and does not cause any symptoms until it reaches a large size. But, fortunately, cancer is successfully treated if it is diagnosed in time.
Screening tests and preventive examinations are important tools for the prevention and early detection of colon and rectal cancer. They allow you to identify not only cancer, but also precancerous neoplasms (adenomatous polyps).
Early diagnosis saves lives. Screening programs are successfully working in developed countries in Europe, Japan, the USA, and Israel. Timely removal of polyps with subsequent patient monitoring significantly reduces the risk of colorectal cancer.
SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS OF COLON AND RECTAL CANCER
The most common symptoms of colon and rectal cancer are:
Pain in the stomach (solar plexus) and intestinal colic
Changes in the nature of bowel movements (constipation or diarrhea)
Blood or mucus in the stool
Feeling tired or weak
Iron deficiency anemia (decreased hemoglobin in the blood)
Black stool
If you have these signs, your doctor may suspect oncological disease (cancer) of the intestine. If you have the above symptoms, make an appointment with a therapist or gastroenterologist at the Universal Clinic "Oberig".
DIAGNOSIS OF COLON AND RECTAL CANCER
The most informative examination is a colonoscopy. During the procedure, you can see the tumor or suspicious formations and take pieces for biopsy (pathohistological examination of tissue under a microscope) to confirm or exclude cancer cells.
At the Universal Clinic "Oberig", colonoscopy is performed with chromoscopy (mucosal staining), NBI (narrow-band light spectrum examination), mandatory targeted biopsy, and if necessary, with endoscopic ultrasound examination (endosonography) to determine the exact size and structure of the detected neoplasm. In our clinic, patients undergo colonoscopy in a state of deep "drug sleep", so they do not experience any discomfort.
Sometimes a tumor can be a finding during other examinations, for example, computed tomography, rectal examination by a proctologist, urologist, gynecological examination or ultrasound examination.
In order to detect distant foci of the disease, we are able to examine patients using modern CT and MRI machines (1.5 T and 3 T), expert-class ultrasound machines, including the latest Sequoia ultrasound machine from Siemens.
STAGES OF COLON AND RECTAL CANCER
To correctly choose a treatment strategy, the next stage is tumor staging. It can be primary (before surgery) or secondary (after surgery). Staging determines the spread of the tumor both locally in the intestinal wall and systemically (the presence of lymph node involvement and distant metastases). Staging is extremely important for the prognosis of the disease, the selection of the volume and method of treatment.
For staging, patient examination, biopsy data, CT, MRI, radiography, ultrasound (depending on the capabilities of the medical institution and the characteristics of the disease) are used.
Final staging in most cases is possible only based on the results of histological examination of the material removed during surgery. The diagnosis must necessarily indicate the number of examined lymph nodes, as this is important for assessing the stage and radicality of the operation. Universal Clinic "Oberig" has its own pathohistological center with experienced histologists and modern equipment.
There are 4 stages of colon and rectal cancer. Patients with stages 1-3 usually undergo surgical or combined treatment (surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy).
Stage 4 cancer is mainly treated with chemotherapy, and some patients may also undergo cytoreduction interventions (removal of the tumor and/or metastases).
TREATMENT OF COLON CANCER
The main method of treating colon cancer is surgery. In the early stages, the tumor can be removed endoscopically. The Universal Clinic "Oberig" performs endoscopic surgical interventions - endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD).
In cases where endoscopic surgical techniques can no longer give the desired result, doctors resort to open or laparoscopic interventions. During the operation, the part of the colon affected by the tumor and the surrounding tissues are removed. An important element of the operation is the removal of the lymph nodes, in which lymph flows from the tumor area (lymphodisection).
In most people, the ends of the intestine can be connected together after removing the part affected by cancer, and, in this case, the patient continues to go to the toilet naturally. At the "Oberig" clinic, such operations are performed both traditionally and minimally invasively - laparoscopically.
In some cases, the ends of the intestine cannot be connected immediately during the operation. This occurs when there is a high risk of failure (separation or non-healing) of the connected parts of the intestine, more often with inflammation, in which time is needed for the tissues to heal.
In these cases, the surgeon sews the end of the intestine to the skin of the abdominal wall, this operation is called a colostomy (when removing the small intestine - an ileostomy). In this case, feces are removed into a special plastic bag. Usually a colostomy is a temporary measure, and the intestine can be restored (its ends are sewn together) after a few weeks or months. In some patients, the colostomy may be permanent.
TREATMENT OF RECTAL CANCER
Most patients with rectal cancer require combined treatment: surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Treatment is selected according to the stage of the disease.
In the first stage, only surgical treatment is possible. In stages 2 and 3, chemotherapy and radiation are usually given before surgery (neoadjuvant therapy), with additional chemotherapy given after surgery.
In stage 4, chemotherapy is usually given, which may be supplemented by surgery. Neoadjuvant therapy helps shrink the tumor, reducing the risk of the tumor coming back and improving the chances of it being removed.
Surgical treatment involves removing part or all of the rectum, sometimes including the anus. Such operations often also end with a colostomy (temporary or permanent). The operations are performed either laparoscopically or open.
CHEMOTHERAPY
Chemotherapy is a treatment that is given to stop or slow the growth of cancer cells. Even if the tumor is completely removed, there is a risk that cells will remain in the person's body and the cancer may come back (recur). Chemotherapy after surgery can kill these cells and increase the patient's chance of survival. This type of chemotherapy is called adjuvant. Chemotherapy can be given intravenously or in pill form.
The current generation of chemotherapy drugs is called "targeted" and is highly effective when selected based on the genetic profile of the tumor. Chemotherapy is indicated for stage 3 and 4 cancer, and in some cases for stage 2.
Cancer chemotherapy at the Oberig Universal Clinic is performed by specially trained personnel in accordance with international protocols for the treatment of malignant neoplasms. In our medical center, doctors install, as well as perform revision or replacement in case of displacement, special ports for long-term intravenous infusions. They are the best alternative to regular catheter placement for people who need chemotherapy.
POST-SURGERY FOLLOW-UP
Unfortunately, surgery and chemotherapy do not provide a 100% guarantee of recovery from cancer. However, early detection and timely treatment of relapses or progression of the disease give the patient a chance to extend life by 5-10 years even with stage 4 of the disease.
Therefore, patients after surgery for colon cancer should be under the supervision of a doctor. This includes examinations, colonoscopies, CT scans, X-rays and ultrasounds, as well as monitoring the level of carcinoembryonic antigen in the blood. The Universal Clinic "Oberig" has all the possibilities for monitoring after cancer treatment.
Remember, early Remember, early diagnosis of bowel cancer is the key to successful treatment! Do not postpone a visit to the doctor. Make an appointment with the specialists of the Universal Clinic "Oberig" at: (044) 521 30 03