How to Treat Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Metastatic colorectal cancer occurs when colorectal cancer spreads to other organs in the body, for instance, lung, liver, brain, or bones. Metastatic cancer is the major cause of death for patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. A small fraction of metastatic cancers are found when patients are first diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The majority of metastatic colorectal cancers are recurrent; that mean they occur after the original tumors have been diagnosed and treated. The survival rate of metastatic colorectal cancer is very low. For instance, the 5-year survival rate of patients with metastases in lung or liver is 25 percent. There are many options available for treating metastatic cancer, including surgery, and several chemotherapy regimens. Research all treatment options before deciding on your treatment plan.

Instructions

• 1

  If the metastases are confined to an area just outside the colon, for instance liver, surgery can be used to remove the metastatic tumor. Consult with an oncologist specializing in liver surgery. Many metastatic tumors in liver are resectable (removable) while others can not be removed by surgery due to their size and location.

• 2

  Chemotherapy can used to reduce the size of the metastatic tumor and improves the chance of success of surgery. Chemotherapy is also recommended for post-surgery to reduce the probability of cancer recurrence.

• 3

  In many cases, surgery is not possible and the metastatic cancers are considered to be incurable. The objective of chemotherapy for these cases is to prolong life, while minimizing side-effects. Discuss with your oncologist about different drug combinations. Your oncologist can tailor the chemotherapy regimens to your specific case. You can switch between aggressive chemotherapy regimens and milder regimens from time to time. This allows you to keep the tumor in control, yet be able to maintain a reasonable quality of life. Discuss with your doctor if you want to take a break from chemotherapy. Remember that a long break from chemotherapy may lower your chance of survival.

• 4

  Visit your oncologist regularly. During each check-up, x-ray images of your tumor will tell you whether chemotherapy is effective in keeping the tumor from growing. In addition to x-rays, blood levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) will be monitored. If the level of CEA increases, you may need to change therapy.

• 5

  Learn about the side-effects of chemotherapy to prepare yourself for what might occur. For instance, the side effects of 5-FU and leucovorin regimen are mouth sores, diarrhea, and low blood counts.