Colon cancer is a medical condition in the form of malignant tumor growth in the large intestine, which is the last part of the digestive system. This cancer usually begins with polyps or benign tumors. If you do not receive medical treatment, some cases of benign tumors in the large intestine have the potential to develop into cancer cells. Colon cancer usually does not cause early symptoms, so many sufferers are late and only realize they have this disease when the cancer cells have spread.
There are several symptoms of colon cancer to watch out for, including:
- Changes in bowel habits (such as diarrhea, constipation or narrowing of the stool, lasting more than a few days)
- Feeling not yet relieved after defecating (BAB)
- Rectal bleeding with bright red blood
- Bloody stools, which may make them look dark brown or black
- Cramps or stomach ache
- Lethargy and fatigue
Until now, the cause of colon cancer is not clearly known. However, there are several things that are thought to increase a person's risk of suffering from colon cancer , including rarely eating fiber , rarely exercising, and having a smoking habit. People who are at high risk of colon cancer are advised to undergo regular colon cancer screening. The goal is so that cancer can be treated immediately if it appears. Colon cancer screening is recommended for men and women aged 45 years and over.
Colon cancer treatment can be done by:
- Operation
Surgery is performed to remove cancerous tissue in the colon. The operation is carried out by cutting and removing the part of the colon affected by cancer along with a small amount of healthy tissue around it.
- Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the administration of drugs to kill cancer cells.
- Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is the use of radiation rays to kill cancer cells. These rays can be emitted from a device outside the body (external radiotherapy), or from a device placed near the location of the cancer (internal radiotherapy).
- Target therapy:
Drugs in targeted therapy work by specifically killing cancer cells. Target therapy drugs can be given as a single drug or in combination with other drugs.
Colon cancer can be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle, especially a diet to prevent colon cancer.
Article written by dr. Seno Budi Santoso, Sp.B.SubBDig (Surgery Specialist – Digestive Surgery Subspecialist EMC Pulomas Hospital).