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Stage Four Colon Cancer Life Expectancy

Knowing your odds is a good idea when fighting cancer, as determined individuals will dedicate themselves wholly to proving the doctors wrong. As cancer progresses through its various stages, your general survival rate will drop accordingly, as the disease becomes that much more difficult to successfully treat. However, do not give up hope so long as you have a survival rate above zero--miracles happen every day.

  1. Colon Cancer

    • Colon cancer is a general term for any cancer that begins in the colon itself (the large intestine) or within the rectum (the final portion of the colon). According to information provided by Medline Plus and the American Cancer Society, colon cancer is unfortunately one of the leading causes of death from cancer within the U.S.

    Risk Factors and Symptoms

    • Some common risk factors for colon cancer include polyps in your intestinal tract, digestive diseases such as IBS or Crohn's, or a personal or family history of cancer. Symptoms of colon cancer include localized pain in the lower abdomen, bloody or dark-colored stool, narrow stools (caused by the tumor blocking your intestine) or unexplained weight loss.

    Cancer Stages

    • Cancer progression is divided into stages depending on how developed the cancer is and how far it has spread throughout the body. According to the American Cancer Society, in stage zero cancer has not spread beyond the inner lining of the colon. In stage one, the cancer has grown into the layer of the colon known as the submucosa. In stage two, the cancer has spread through all layers of the colon and possibly into surrounding tissue. In stage three, the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes (between one to four). Finally, in stage four the cancer has spread to organs far distant from the original site, such as the lungs or liver.

    Stage Four Survival Rate

    • According to Ed Zimney, MD, stage four cancer is no longer a disease that can be officially cured. However, its progress can still be delayed as long as is medically possible. The average five-year survival rate for someone with stage four colon cancer is 8 percent, according to data provided by the American Cancer Society.

    Stage Four Life Expectancy

    • Time-wise, what this 8 percent survival rate translates into is roughly two years on average. However, keep in mind that cases of cancer vary in severity and aggressiveness, so it is entirely possible that you will exceed this estimate by a fair margin. As keeping up hope is important in the fight against cancer, do not become obsessed with the numbers and just try to live every day as best as possible.

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