How to Treat Stage Four Colon Cancer

Colon cancer is one of the leading causes of death among cancer patients within the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. Stage IV is the final stage of the disease, where the cancer has spread from the colon itself and has metastasized to other distant areas of the body. Treatment for stage four colon cancer differs from the other stages, as it is often impossible to force the cancer into remission, making the battle instead about providing the patient with as much time as possible.

Instructions

• 1

  Understand that according to the ACS, the five-year survival rate for a patient with stage IV colon cancer is only 7 percent. This means that only 7 percent of patients will still be alive five years after their initial diagnosis. Thus, the goal in treating stage IV colon cancer is not so much trying to win the battle, but trying to slow the cancer's spread as much as possible in the face of the inevitable.

• 2

  Consider radiation therapy to slow the spread of cancer and ease some of the pain associated with advanced cancers. Radiation therapy consists of the targeted application of radioactive waves to damage the cancer cells, rendering them unable to consider reproducing. According to the National Cancer Institute, radiation therapy to treat stage IV colon cancer is called palliative therapy, in that the goal is to keep the patient as comfortable as possible.

• 3

  Consider palliative chemotherapy as well to treat stage IV colon cancer. Chemotherapy consists of the application and injection of hazardous drugs to the body in order to kill cancer cells. This works because cancer cells have a much faster metabolism than "normal" tissue, meaning that they soak up a disproportionate amount of the chemicals being pumped into the body. This can also help to ease the pain of spreading cancer, bringing some measure of relief to individuals with stage IV colon cancer.

• 4

  Palliative surgery is a final option for the treating of advanced colon cancer. Palliative surgery acts to "debulk," or remove as much of a tumor as possible, slowing the cancer's spread throughout the body. This can help to alleviate some of the symptoms associated with localized forms of cancer, such as curbing but not wholly eliminating some of the digestive issues present in cases of colon cancer.