Effectiveness of Regional Chemotherapy on Colon Cancer

In discussing the effectiveness of any one method for treating colon cancer, it is important to remember that cancer fighting protocols are rarely used in isolation. According to the American Cancer Society, regional chemotherapy is often used in conjunction with other forms of treatment to provide a patient with his best chances of beating cancer into remission or delaying its spread for as long as possible.

Colon Cancer

• Although both types are referred to as "colon cancer," this type of cancer can begin in either the colon itself or the rectum. According to data taken from the American Cancer Society, colon cancer is one of the foremost causes of cancer-related death within the United States. Symptoms include the presence of blood in the stool, narrow stools, abdominal pain, or unexplained weight loss.

Chemotherapy

• Chemotherapy is one preferred treatment method for dealing with cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, chemotherapy consists of the administration of drugs which act to poison the cancerous cells. Unfortunately, the drugs also cause some damage to healthy tissue, but the majority of the damage is to the cancerous tissue.

Regional Chemotherapy

• According to the ACS, regional chemotherapy is a specialized type of chemotherapy that is sometimes used to combat colon cancer that has also spread to the liver. In regional chemotherapy, the drugs are administered directly into an artery that leads to the affected area. This is in contrast to non-regional chemotherapy, where the drugs are administered throughout the entire body.

Cost Effectiveness

• Keep in mind that as chemotherapy is rarely used as a stand-alone cancer treatment, the overall survival rate for dealing with colon cancer will be affected by more than just the presence or absence of regional chemotherapy. According to a study published in November 2000 in the journal "Cancer," regional chemotherapy was found to be the most cost effective treatment considering overall effectiveness at treating cancer.

Survival Rate

• According to the American Cancer Society, survival rate is directly tied to how far the cancer has spread. Whereas stage I colon cancer has a 90 percent five-year survival rate, stage IV (where regional chemotherapy is likely to come into play) has only a 7 percent five-year survival rate. Although the numbers are grim, regional chemotherapy combined with surgery is still the best practice and most effective solution for treating certain cases of colon cancer.