Cancer of the appendix is a rare form of colorectal cancer that can be difficult to diagnose due to few symptoms. Treatment involves removal of the tumor and chemotherapy, with intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy showing some success. Early detection is crucial for survival.
Cancer of the appendix is a relatively rare form of colorectal cancer. It involves the growth of the cancerous tumor in part of the appendix, which is basically an extension of the colon. In many cases, patients will experience very few symptoms during the early stages of the disease and many elements can be very similar to the symptoms of other intestinal problems, thus leading to frequent misdiagnoses. This cancer can spread easily and can be very deadly, especially if doctors don’t catch it early enough. There are many types of appendix cancer, and when symptoms appear, they are usually bowel-related disorders such as diarrhea, constipation, and bloating.
The purpose of the appendix is generally unknown to science, and people can usually function relatively normally without it. The fact that the appendix has such a limited purpose is one reason why this cancer can be difficult to spot. Any organ damage caused by appendix cancer may not cause any obvious problems for the body. In the early stages before the cancer spreads, the most dangerous thing that can happen is the cancer blocking the appendix, which gives the patient appendicitis. Cancer of the appendix often starts to become much more dangerous as it spreads through the body, which means that sometimes the most important aspect of treatment may be to catch it early.
Once doctors diagnose a case of appendix cancer, the most common approach is generally to remove the tumor. This often involves the total removal of the appendix and may involve the removal of part of the colon as well. After that, patients usually get some kind of chemotherapy. If medical professionals get cancer early enough, removal and chemotherapy can often be enough to allow for a longer survival rate, but this is often not the case, and survival rates are usually low.
Another therapeutic approach that has shown some success is intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy. This involves the circulation of chemotherapy drugs in liquid form through the colon. Doctors heat the medications until they are slightly above your natural body temperature, which is thought to be partially responsible for the effectiveness of this therapy.
In a typical treatment session, doctors will circulate the medications through the body for approximately 1.5 hours. This treatment is usually given to appendix cancer patients as part of an operation to remove the tumor. Unlike most chemotherapy treatments, it generally doesn’t involve any follow-up treatment, which can potentially make it more convenient and less taxing on the body.
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