Usually developing over a long period, rectal cancer is a common cancer
in the United States that affects over 40,000 Americans every year. Growing
in the part of the large intestine called the rectum, rectal cancer should
be treated immediately. Infirmary Cancer Care in Mobile is equipped with
the newest equipment and trained staff that specialize in rectal cancer.
Our goal is to provide you the best cancer care possible.
Symptoms & Risks
Rectal cancer has several striking risk factors. These include a diet high
in fat, age, family history and a history of polyps in the large intestine.
There are also certain genetic conditions, such as Lynch Syndrome and
familial adenomatous polyposis that make individuals at a greater risk
of developing rectal cancer. While having these risk factors does not
guarantee that a patient will develop rectal cancer, an individual with
these risks should discuss the possibility and preventative steps with
their doctor. Preventative treatment and healthy gut health can stop rectal
cancer before it gets started.
The symptoms of rectal cancer can vary. However, the most common symptoms
include fatigue, anemia, weight loss, stomach pain, bloody stool, narrowed
stool, and an unexplained change in bowel habits that includes diarrhea
or constipation. The presence of these symptoms should be discussed with
your doctor to ensure that an early diagnosis is reached if possible.
Diagnosis & Staging
Your physician will use various methods to diagnose rectal cancer as a
cancerous polyp instead of hemorrhoids. While the symptoms of each can
be quite similar, physical examinations including a digital rectal exam,
colonoscopies and biopsies. All these tests are designed to look for abnormalities
in the rectal cavity and, if one is found, to test it for cancer. Rectal
cancer is staged like most other cancers on a scale from 0 to 4 depending
on how likely the cancer is to metastasize and how much it has affected
the rectum. The lower the stage, the better the prognosis usually will
be depending upon how your body responds to treatment.
Treatment Options
The treatment options for this type of cancer are varied given the usually
contained nature of rectal cancer. Surgery can remove cancer from the
rectum and might be the best option for many patients.
Three different types of surgeries are commonly performed for this type
of cancer:
Polypectomy: removal of a cancerous polyp during colonoscopy.
Local excision: scraping cancer off the inside of the rectum as well as surrounding tissue.
Resection: completely removing the cancerous section of the rectum as well as lymph
nodes near the area.
If surgery is not enough, chemotherapy, radiation and clinical trials might
all be attempted either separately or in tandem to supplement the surgical
procedure. Chemotherapy can stop cancer from spreading to other parts
of the rectum or at least ensure that all the cancer has been killed if
it was not removed by the surgery. Radiation also helps kill cancer while
it sits in the rectum. Another option for those with rectal cancer is
several clinical trials focusing on molecular and neoadjuvant therapy
that could help. More information about these trials can be found
here and
here.
Overall, your treatment strategy will be made through in-depth discussion
with our treatment team here at Infirmary Cancer Care headed up by the
expert that has been assigned to your case. Through mutual input, the
right treatment plan for the patient is put together and activated.
For more information about how to prevent or treat rectal cancer, contact us today.
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