Causes
Despite the numerous studies conducted, scientists have not identified the reason why intestinal cancer develops. They only name the factors that play a large role in the development of the tumor process and the degeneration of healthy cells into malignant ones.
The list of provoking factors is as follows:
- Hereditary predisposition. Doctors have traced a connection between cancer diseases of close relatives.
- Intestinal pathologies. In medical practice, most often there are cases when oncology develops against the background of inflammatory processes or benign neoplasms in the gastrointestinal tract.
- Poor nutrition. Constant consumption of fatty foods, as well as foods containing large amounts of carcinogens, negatively affects the condition of the intestinal mucosa.
- Work in hazardous production. If a person, due to the nature of his work activity, is regularly exposed to poisons and chemical compounds and does not fully comply with safety precautions when in contact with them, then the risk of developing a tumor increases sharply.
- Bad habits. Addiction to alcohol and smoking adversely affects the condition of the entire body and can provoke pathological changes in cells.
To a greater extent, they themselves contribute to the development of cancer because they lead an unhealthy lifestyle, refuse preventive examinations, and do not treat gastrointestinal pathologies.
The first symptoms of bowel cancer in women
In the initial period, the disease is asymptomatic. This means that a cancer patient may not even suspect the presence of a malignant neoplasm of the intestinal tract.
Early symptoms of bowel cancer in women include:
- detection of blood and mucus in stool or on toilet paper;
- sudden change in intestinal motility in the form of diarrhea or constipation;
- discomfort in the abdominal area (bloating, pain and fullness);
- chronic fatigue, drowsiness;
- general malaise and pale skin.
The presence of such symptoms does not yet indicate the existence of a tumor. Detection of such signs is a reason to consult a doctor.
Clinical picture
The first signs of colon cancer at an early stage may not manifest themselves or be mild. This makes it difficult to identify pathology at the initial stage of development. Also, timely diagnosis is hampered by the fact that early manifestations of oncology are more similar to disturbances in the functioning of the stomach, so many do not attach importance to them.
The first symptoms of bowel cancer are as follows:
- Decreased appetite.
- Feeling of heaviness in the stomach.
- Stool disorders.
- Anemia.
- Bloody impurities in the stool.
- General weakness.
With the further development of the malignant disease, the manifestations intensify. The patient experiences severe constipation, hemorrhages from the rectum, pain in the peritoneum, increased gas formation, intestinal obstruction, vomiting, and nausea.
In the advanced stage, the symptoms of bowel cancer in women differ from the clinical picture in men. The difference is that representatives of the fairer sex may experience feces in the urine and accumulation of gases. This indicates damage to the bladder. Also, the clinic for women is different in that they experience menstrual irregularities.
Symptoms of bowel cancer in men are also slightly different. Problems with urination are added to the main symptoms. There is a false urge to empty the bladder, as well as severe pain during urination.
Rectal cancer
This type of intestinal cancer is the most common, but, unlike other types of oncology, has the most favorable prognosis due to the fact that it is easier to diagnose in the early stages. The anatomical location of the tumor allows it to be identified by endoscopic examination or palpation. Also, rectal cancer tumors in the early stages (with the exception of low-lying forms) are often easier to excise and more susceptible to radiation and chemotherapy. However, despite the availability of diagnostics, the disease is detected at stages 1-2 in approximately 20% of patients, while the majority turn to doctors already at the third stage. Stage 4 colon cancer has the worst prognosis, with most patients surviving 3 to 9 months after treatment.
The specificity of the clinical picture of this oncological pathology is as follows: when the left part of the intestine is affected, it is expressed by prolonged constipation; in the absence of treatment, complete intestinal obstruction forms and, as a result, inflammation of the cecum. When localized in the right section, signs of intoxication of the gastrointestinal tract, stool disorders, blood and mucus in the stool, and iron deficiency anemia are observed.
The first signs of colorectal cancer may be:
- weakness, constant low temperature;
- sudden loss of weight and appetite;
- discomfort in the rectal area;
- prolonged constipation;
- the presence of any discharge, blood, mucus;
- patients with hemorrhoids with bleeding must observe their intensity and the nature of the discharge, because with cancer they change.
Important! To identify rectal cancer in the first stages, the most indicative are objective signs detected by a specialist. Therefore, you should not neglect preventive medical examinations, because this will help to identify and stop the disease at the earliest stages!
At the first symptoms that cause concern, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Stages of tumor development
Colon cancer occurs in 4 stages, differing in the size of the formation and the presence of metastasis:
- First. At this stage, malignancy of the cells of the mucous membrane of the digestive organ occurs, and a neoplasm is formed. It is small in size and located within the intestines. The lymph nodes and internal organs are not yet affected.
- Second. The tumor increases in size, does not exceed 5 cm. It begins to grow deep into the tissues of the organ, but does not yet affect neighboring organs and lymph nodes.
- Third. At this stage, intestinal cancer becomes more active, the tumor grows and goes beyond the boundaries of the organ. Cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes.
- Fourth. At this stage of the disease, metastasis occurs to distant parts of the body, which causes a malfunction of most internal organs.
At the last stage of bowel cancer, nothing can be done. Even modern treatment methods are not able to eliminate the disease.
Diagnostics
It is impossible to identify an oncological tumor by symptoms alone. To achieve this, a number of measures are taken to diagnose colon cancer. First, the doctor performs an external examination, palpates the patient’s abdomen and performs a digital examination of the rectum.
Already during the examination, the doctor may suspect the development of a neoplasm. To make sure of this, he orders a colonoscopy. This method allows you to study the condition of the intestines in detail, identify a tumor, determine its size and shape.
Colon cancer is also diagnosed using irrigoscopy. It is an X-ray examination of the digestive tract using a contrast agent. Thanks to it, a formation is also detected, its size and exact localization are assessed.
Women often require a gynecological examination to diagnose damage to the reproductive organs. To detect metastases in other parts of the body, ultrasound, computed tomography, and x-rays are prescribed.
Blood test indicators for bowel, urine and stool cancer are also important.
Fight against cancer
Based on the diagnosis of intestinal cancer, the doctor prescribes treatment. It always consists of several therapy methods. The main treatment method is surgery. Depending on the size of the tumor, the doctor determines the scope of the operation.
If the tumor is large, then patients are advised to undergo a course of chemotherapy before removal. It helps reduce the size of the tumor, which makes surgery easier. After surgery, chemical therapy is also carried out, but to prevent relapse of the pathology.
Chemical treatment for colon cancer is aggressive, affecting not only the affected cells, but also healthy cells. As a result, patients often suffer from various adverse reactions. To cope with them, doctors prescribe supportive medications, vitamins and dietary nutrition.
A diet for intestinal cancer is used not only to eliminate the negative effects of chemical therapy, but also to normalize the activity of the gastrointestinal tract.
As a complement to the main methods, doctors allow treatment of intestinal cancer with folk remedies. The following home remedies are considered effective:
- Brew half a teaspoon of henbane leaves with half a glass of boiling water, place on low heat and keep until a thick mixture forms. Take 3 times a day, 2 drops dissolved in a tablespoon of water.
- Pour a large spoonful of crushed pine bark into 500 ml of vodka, let it brew for 2 weeks, strain and drink 10 drops every day.
- Fill a half-liter jar with chopped birch mushrooms, add 1.5 liters of warm water, cover with gauze and let it brew for two days. Then strain the infusion and take 100 ml three times a day before meals.
Folk remedies are not able to quickly kill cancer cells, so in no case should you abandon traditional medicine in favor of them. It is also strictly forbidden to use home remedies without the permission of the treating doctor.
Disease prognosis
In Russia there is no system for early cancer prediction. The reason is the chronic lack of funding for useful activities. Therefore, there are no highly sensitive methods for detecting cancer available for mass use.
Occult blood tests, which are widely used in our clinics, give many false results, and DNA diagnostics are still limited in their availability for mass research.
Modern prognosis mainly depends on the literacy and oncological alertness of the doctor, who knows how to find a connection between diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and precursors of cancer. The prognosis is based on the doctor’s subjective feelings and the results of a visual examination of the patient, so up to 20% of Russian patients have a primary diagnosis of intestinal cancer with distant metastases.
Ways to improve objective forecasting methods are based on the introduction of highly effective instrumental and laboratory techniques into mass medical practice.
In the presence of an already formed tumor, the most promising methods for objectively predicting the rate of development of metastases are the determination of specific protein markers, including the Oncotype Dx colon test and others.
How long do you live with bowel cancer?
The question contains a fatal meaning of the mortal danger of cancer. But let's be optimistic, because in the early and sometimes in the later stages of the disease, doctors achieve amazing success in the radical treatment of this form of oncology.
The answer to the question posed about life expectancy can be divided into two parts:
- the first concerns the quality and duration of life after diagnosis;
- the second is the frequency of examinations in order to detect oncology at the earliest possible stages.
Information on the five-year survival rate of patients with intestinal cancer, often used in scientific research to show trends and patterns of the disease, is incorrect in the context of a popular article, because the body of each individual person has a different safety margin, depending on:
- age;
- concomitant pathologies;
- bad habits;
- living conditions;
- stress and so on.
Of the above, only age cannot be adjusted. Proper treatment of concomitant pathologies, giving up bad habits, selecting a diet, eliminating stress significantly increases the likelihood of not getting sick, and the patient’s chances of recovery and a significant prolongation of life with the help of surgeons and doctors of other specialties increase.
A quality life is possible even with significant excision (resection) of part of the intestine and the application of a colostomy (an opening for excreting feces outside, bypassing the anus). The presence of a colostomy, with normal care, is not a significant factor reducing the quality of life.
On the other hand, the earlier cancer is detected, the greater the chance of successful treatment. Following this logic, it can be assumed that extremely frequent examinations provide a chance for early detection of the disease and prolongation of life. Fortunately, this is not entirely true.
Early confirmation of the diagnosis is possible with examinations at intervals of one year. After all, from the first mutations to the onset of clinical stages, on average, two to three years pass.
To significantly increase the length and quality of life, screening studies should be carried out annually after the age of forty.
When the disease is detected in late stages, proper patient care and maintaining good hygienic condition of the colostomy play an important role in prolonging life.
If intestinal cancer was detected at stage 1, and the tumor has not yet spread anywhere (which happens extremely rarely, with a happy coincidence), then the chance of success reaches 99%.
If the cancer is at stage 2, when the tumor begins to grow on the intestinal walls, then the chance of cure is 85%.
At stage 3, when the tumor affects the nearest lymph nodes, the chance of cure drops to 65%.
In the later stages of bowel cancer, when distant lymph nodes are affected, the chance of cure is about 35%.
How long a person will live after recovery depends on the severity of the disease, as well as on other factors listed above.
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Prevention
In order to prevent bowel cancer, it is important for patients to adjust their lifestyle. First of all, you need to reconsider your diet. Minimize or completely eliminate all harmful foods from the menu and include more foods rich in vitamins and minerals.
It is also important to refrain from frequent drinking and smoking, devote more time to sports activities, hardening, and avoid stressful situations. If signs of gastrointestinal dysfunction are detected, it is necessary to undergo an examination as soon as possible and promptly treat any pathologies of the digestive organs.
The prognosis for intestinal cancer is favorable only in the early stages, which is why it is so important to check the tract at least once a year for the presence of pathological processes.
