This treatment, which completely avoids surgery, has great advantages for patients. Permanent or temporary colostomy is avoided thanks to the non-surgical treatment of rectal cancer. In addition, the bowel, bladder and sexual functions of the patients continue perfectly.
WHAT IS RECTUM AND RECTUM CANCER?
The rectum is the name we give to the last part of the large intestine. This is the 15-centimeter section located just above the muscles we are responsible for defecation. We divide it into 5 below, 5 in the middle, and 5 above. We have a special form of treatment for diseases in the middle and lower part.
COLON AND RECTUM CANCER
Colon cancer (large intestine) and rectal cancer (after the large intestine) are the second most common cancers in the United States. While 140,000 new cases are encountered annually, an average of 60,000 people die annually from colon and rectum cancers. Colon and rectum cancers caught at an early stage can be treated with high success.
WHO IS AT RISK?
Although colon and rectal cancer can develop at any age, it is mostly seen over the age of 40. The risk of colon and rectal cancer doubles every ten years. Having relatives with a diagnosis of colon and rectum cancer or polyp of the colon and rectum in the family, apart from age, increases the risk of the disease. Known ulcerative colitis, or the presence of treated colon and rectal polyps, and cancer in other organs such as breast and uterus also increase the risk of colon and rectal cancers.
HOW DOES CANCER OF THE RECTUM BEGIN?
Colon and rectal cancers begin as small, benign polyps. Polyp, which tends to become cancerous with some genetic and environmental factors, can become cancer by growing and occupying the intestinal wall. Removal of these benign polyps by colonoscopy prevents the occurrence of the disease.
WHAT ARE THE FINDINGS OF RECTUM CANCER?
The most common findings are bloody stools and changes in bowel habits. In particular, constipation or changes in the shape of a circle require careful examination, as they may also be due to other diseases. Chronic abdominal pain and weight loss are usually accompanying findings in colon and rectum cancers. Unfortunately, these findings may not be seen in many early cancers or polyps. Routine screening programs over the age of 50 are of vital importance in the early detection of asymptomatic disease. Rectal touch, which means the examination of the anal canal and distal rectum with fingers, occult blood test in stool, rectosigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy and radiological examinations are the examinations used for screening purposes. If your first-degree relatives have a history of colon and rectal cancer, you should start the screening program from the age of 40.
WHAT ARE THE STAGES OF RECTUM CANCER?
Stage I disease: The cancer has invaded the intestinal wall, but has not reached all intestinal layers.
Stage II disease: Cancer has invaded all intestinal layers.
Stage III disease: Cancer has spread to regional lymph nodes.
Stage IV disease: Cancer has spread from the large intestine to distant organs such as the liver, peritoneum, and lungs.
HOW IS RECTUM CANCER TREATED?
The main treatment for colon and rectal cancers is surgery. With the applied surgery, the disease can be cleared by removing the tumorous tissues from the body. Preoperative radiotherapy (radiation therapy) and chemotherapy (drug therapy) are applied in order to increase the effect of surgery, especially in rectal cancers. Depending on the stage of the cancer determined as a result of the pathological examination after surgery, additional oncological treatment can be given after the surgery. The chance of getting rid of the disease completely is 80-90% in a case that is caught at an early stage and has a good surgery. With today’s modern surgical techniques, less than 5% of patients are permanently bagged.
NON-SURGERY TREATMENT OF RECTUM CANCER
The first findings of rectal cancer are made by scanning methods such as PET and MR. At this point, the role of the molecular subtype, namely the genes, gains great importance. Non-surgical treatment is not applied in the 1st and 4th stages of rectal cancer. Because treatment in stage 1 does not require chemo-radiotherapy. In most of these, breech-sparing surgery is possible. In stage 4, the disease has metastasized, that is, it has spread to other organs; Since it is late, non-surgical treatment is not used again. However, this method is possible in some of the patients in the 2nd and 3rd stage. This treatment, which completely avoids surgery, has great advantages for patients. Permanent or temporary colostomy is avoided thanks to the non-surgical treatment of rectal cancer. In addition, the bowel, bladder and sexual functions of the patients continue perfectly.
