An Overview of Stage 4 Colon Cancer
Stage 4
colon cancer refers to cancer that may have spread to nearby lymph nodes and has spread to other parts of the body, such as the liver or lungs. Another name for stage 4
colon cancer is Dukes' D colon cancer.
Treatment Options for Stage 4 Colon Cancer
There are a few different treatment options available for stage 4 colon cancer depending on the location of the disease. These options include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. There are also special treatments available for cancer that has spread to the liver.
Surgery
For some patients with stage 4 colon cancer, surgery may be an option. This is more likely the case for those whose cancer has spread only to the liver and/or lungs.
Surgical treatment of stage 4 colon cancer may include the following:
- Resection/anastomosis of the colon (surgery to remove the cancer or bypass the tumor and join the cut ends of the colon)
- Surgery to remove parts of other organs, such as the liver, lungs, and ovaries, where the cancer may have spread.
Chemotherapy/Radiation Therapy
For people with stage 4 colon cancer, when surgery is not an option, radiation therapy or chemotherapy may be offered to some patients as palliative therapy. Palliative therapy is used to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life; however, in these cases, palliative therapy is not given in hopes of curing the colon cancer.
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