PDA

View Full Version : Staging of colon cancer


thomasdevos
10-05-2009, 12:27 AM
Staging of colon cancer

Staging is a way of assessing the progression of colon cancer in a patient. In other words, it focuses on colon cancer (tumor) and the extent to which cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Once doctors know how far along the colon, they can decide the best treatment plan.

Today, the system most commonly used for staging of colon cancer is the American Joint Committee on (AJCC system cancer TNM) staging. This staging system places patients into one of four stages (stage I, stage II, stage III and stage IV).

American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Staging System

Stage 0 colon cancer

In stage 0, cancer of the colon is in the inner wall of the colon only. Stage 0 colorectal cancer is also called carcinoma in situ.

Colon cancer stage I

In stage I colon cancer has begun to spread, but it is still in the wall of the colon or rectum. In stage I colon cancer has not reached the outer wall of the colon. Another name for Stage I colorectal cancer or Duke A.

Colon cancer stage II

In stage II colon cancer extends more deeply into and / or through the colon or rectum. Colon cancer may have invaded nearby tissues. In stage II, in fact, colon cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes (lymph nodes are small bean-shaped structures found throughout the body that filter substances in a fluid call lymph to help fight the infection and disease. Another name for Stage II colorectal cancer or Duke B.

Colon cancer stage III

In stage III colon cancer has spread to lymph nodes, but has not been carried to other parts of the body. Another name for Stage III colorectal cancer or Duke C.

Colon cancer stage IV

In stage IV colon cancer has been achieved through the lymphatic system to other parts of the body. This is called metastasis. The organs most likely to have metastatic colorectal cancer are the lungs and liver. Another name for colorectal cancer stage IV or Duke D.

Recurrent cancer or colon cancer cells

Colon cancer is the mass return of cancerous cells that have already been treated. Cells that cancer could return colorectal cancer, and / or return in any other body part.

Reference Site:

colon cancer treatment (http://colon-cancer-treatment-cure.com)
www.nlm.nih.gov (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000262.htm)
en.wikipedia.org (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorectal_cancer)
www.cancer.gov (http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/colon-and-rectal)
medicinenet.com (http://www.medicinenet.com/colon_cancer/article.htm)