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Colon cancer is the growth of cancer cells in the large intestine. Metastatic colon cancer occurs when cancer cells spread to other organs, causing symptoms such as weight loss, abdominal pain, and difficulty breathing. Treatment options include surgery, ablation, cryotherapy, and chemotherapy. A team of doctors is usually involved in managing the disease.
Colon cancer is the abnormal proliferation or growth of cancer cells in the large intestine, also known as the colon. A cancer in the colon usually starts in the lining of the large intestine. When colon cancer spreads to adjacent tissues and invades other organs in the body, it is called metastatic colon cancer. Metastatic colon cancer is also stage IV colon cancer.
Metastatic colon cancer usually occurs when cancer cells break away from their original site in the colon. The cancerous cells then travel through the lymph nodes or bloodstream and reach other parts of the body where they often form new cancerous growths. When metastasis or spread affects vital organs such as the liver or lungs, the chances of a complete recovery are usually slim.
Some symptoms of colon cancer are unexplained weight loss, abdominal pain, and passing pencil-like stools, which are sometimes bloodstained. Most of the symptoms of metastatic colon cancer often depend on where in the body the cancer is spreading. These sites can include the liver, bones and lungs.
In addition to the symptoms of colon cancer, colon cancer that is metastatic to the liver also causes jaundice or yellowing of the skin and eyes. Also often present are edema or swelling of the feet and ascites, which is the accumulation of fluid in the abdomen. Cancer that spreads to the lungs frequently manifests as difficulty breathing and chest pain. Bone pains, as well as weakness, are often signs of bone involvement.
Metastatic colon cancer can be diagnosed with the use of blood tests and other diagnostic tests. A liver function test is usually done to evaluate the state of the liver. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan and ultrasound are also often helpful in evaluating the area for possible spread of colon cancer.
A variety of treatment options are usually available to the patient. Metastatic colon cancer that spreads to the liver can be treated by removing the affected part by surgery, ablation or burning of the tumor, and cryotherapy, which is done by freezing the tumor. Radiation chemotherapy may also be used.
Management of metastatic colon cancer is usually done by a team of doctors. These include gastroenterologists, doctors who specialize in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract; surgeons; and oncologists, doctors who treat cancer patients. When the cancer has reached the lungs, a pulmonologist or respiratory doctor is also often called.
