Cures for Stage 4 Colon Cancer

There are five stages of cancer, determined by how far the cancer has spread. Stage IV colon cancer describes when the cancer has spread to organs such as the lungs, liver, ovary or peritoneum. There are several treatment options to cure cancer in stage IV. These options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and drugs.

Surgery

• Segmental resection or diverting colostomy are two surgeries that are performed during this stage of colon cancer. The objective of surgery is to prevent local complications and the blockage of the colon. Surgery is performed to cut out the portion of the colon that is affected by cancer. After the tumor is cut out, the healthy part of the colon is than connected. In certain cases you can prevent blockage without surgery. This is done during the colonoscopy by inserting a hollow metal or plastic tube into the colon. This tube is called a stent. This procedure is usually performed on patients with extensive metastases.

Chemotherapy

• When there are only a few metastases present in the liver, typically fewer than five, they can be removed surgically. In cases such as this, cancer cells can usually be removed. In most cases this will completely eliminate the cancer in the colon. Chemotherapy can be taken orally or injected into the veins within the muscles of the body. When the drugs enter the bloodstream, they reach cells throughout the body. This form of treatment is called systemic chemotherapy. Regional chemotherapy is when the drugs are directly injected into the organ or part of the body affected by cancer. Chemoembolization of the hepatic is a form of treatment used in stage IV colon cancer. This treatment blocks the primary artery that delivers blood to the liver and delivers anti-cancer drugs between the liver and blocked artery. This artery is called the hepatic artery.
  If the metastases is too large or there are more than five of them, they cannot be surgically removed. Chemotherapy may be required initially to shrink the tumor before surgery can be performed. Surgery can be performed after the tumors have shrunk and chemotherapy is given again. When there are treatments of chemotherapy after surgery, the drugs are delivered directly into the arteries that lead into the liver after surgery. Chemotherapy in these areas during stage IV colon cancer works to shrink the cancer in your liver. This form of treatment is more effective than intravenous chemotherapy.

Radiation

• In advanced cancer cases, radiation may be required to kill cancer cells. The goal of this form of treatment is not to cure the cancer but to shrink the tumor in order to prevent or relieve symptoms such as pain.