Colon Cancer Care

Find specialized colon cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment at Rutland Regional’s Foley Cancer Center.

Colon cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in the United States. However, both colon cancer diagnosis and death rates have been getting lower over time because more people are making lifestyle changes and getting screened for cancer.

The specialized cancer care team at Rutland Regional’s Foley Cancer Center offers a full range of colon cancer care – from screenings to diagnosis, treatment, and support.

What is Colon Cancer?

Colon (colorectal) cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the large intestine, a part of the digestive system that includes the colon, rectum, and anus. Colon cancer can grow in any part of the large intestine, which is between 5 and 6 feet long.

Colon Cancer Symptoms and Signs

Colon cancer doesn’t always cause symptoms right away. Signs of colon cancer can include:

  • Pain or tenderness in the abdomen
  • Diarrhea, constipation, or other bowel changes
  • Feeling like your bowel does not empty all the way
  • Weight loss you can’t explain

If you notice changes like these, talk with your doctor. These symptoms often have causes that are not cancer.

Colorectal Cancer

This condition is the formation of cancerous growths in the colon (called colon cancer) and in the rectum (called rectal cancer).

Colon Cancer Screening & Diagnosis

Finding cancer early is the best way to ensure effective treatment. Most people need regular screenings after age 50. If you are at a higher than average risk for colon cancer (based on lifestyle risks like smoking, obesity, diet choices, exercise, and other factors – or family or personal history), you might need to start colon cancer screenings earlier.

Colon Cancer Screening Tests

Your doctor will recommend tests based on your situation. Tests include:

  • Screening or follow-up colonoscopy: Used to check the colon and rectum for polyps or cancer
  • Lab tests: Tests to check your stool for blood or certain DNA markers (possible signs of cancer)

If you’re diagnosed with colon cancer, the Foley Cancer Care team will guide you through the next steps and work with you to create a personalized treatment plan based on the stage and type of your cancer.

Types of Colon Cancer

Colon cancers usually start as a polyp (tissue growth) within the cells that line the large intestine. The most common type of colon cancer is called adenocarcinoma. The cancer specialists at Rutland Regional are prepared to treat both common and rare types of cancer. Less common types of colon cancer include:

  • Carcinoid tumors, which develop slowly in the nerve cells
  • Lymphomas, which develop in the white blood cells that help the body fight infections
  • Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), which happen in the digestive tract and can be benign (not cancer)
  • Sarcomas, which start in muscle, blood vessels, or other tissues in the colon or rectum wall

Once you’ve been diagnosed, you may need more tests to help your care team plan the best treatment for your situation. Your care team will explain your specific diagnosis and what to expect.

Colon Cancer Stages

After you’re diagnosed with colon cancer, your care team will work to understand how much cancer is in your body and where it is to begin making a plan for treatment. Your care team will use a staging system to describe how far your cancer is spread. Cancer doctors usually use the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM system:

  • T (tumor): Describes the size of the tumor
  • N (nodes): Describes whether the cancer has spread to lymph nodes
  • M (metastasized): Describes whether or not the cancer has spread

Your doctors will use these details and others to diagnose your specific colon cancer. Colon cancer stages range from 0 to IV (4), depending on how much the cancer has spread. There are more staging categories within TNM and the staging number ranges – which your care team will explain in detail.

Colon Cancer Treatment

The Foley Cancer Center provides the most effective treatment options based on your diagnosis. We also regularly participate in clinical trials and offer access to other supportive therapies alongside your treatment.

Depending on your diagnosis, colon cancer treatment includes:

  • Surgery
  • Chemotherapy, a drug treatment to kill cancer cells throughout your body
  • Radiation therapy, treatment using high-powered X-ray beams to target cancer cells in specific parts of the body

Support Every Step of the Way

If you’ve been diagnosed with colon cancer, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed or scared. Your care team is here to answer questions and help you make informed decisions.

The Foley Cancer Center also provides compassionate support during and after cancer treatment. We offer support from diagnosis through recovery, including support groups, complementary therapies, survivor resources, and more.

Contact Foley Cancer Center

Phone: 802.747.1831

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