Cancer is rarely easy to treat, but some cancers are much less likely to respond to treatment than others. Unfortunately, colon cancer is one of those types of cancers that oftentimes proves difficult to treat, but things are moving in the right direction. In today’s blog, we take a look at some of the challenges to effective colon cancer treatment, and how you can put yourself in the best position to enter remission if colon cancer is ever in your future.
The Biggest Challenges To Colon Cancer Care
Here’s a look at some of the current challenges patients and physicians face when trying to treat colon cancer.
- Detection – Don’t get us wrong, medical centers have the appropriate technology to detect colon cancer quickly and effectively. The problem is that many patients don’t go in for regular colonoscopies and cancer screenings. These screenings are the most effective way of catching a problem in its infancy when it’s much easier to treat. Patients need to ensure they are getting regular colon cancer screenings beginning at age 45 so that if colon cancer is found, treatment can be most effective.
- Symptoms Aren’t Obvious – Symptoms of colon cancer aren’t very obvious when the cancer is in an early stage. Sometimes the condition is asymptomatic, while other times mild symptoms are mistaken for a number of different conditions. By the time patients finally figure out what’s going on, the cancer is oftentimes in a much more advanced stage. Again, this speaks to the importance of regular screenings.
- It Can Spread – Colon cancer can oftentimes metastasize in other areas of the body, meaning the cancer spreads to other body parts. Now instead of cancer in one location, you’re trying to stop it in a variety of areas, and this becomes much harder to treat. As is the theme with this blog, this again speaks to why it’s so important that you get colonoscopies at regular intervals to catch a problem before it spreads.
- It Takes A Team – Unlike a broken bone, your colon cancer isn’t going to be treated by one physician. It takes a team approach from a medical team that oftentimes includes a surgeon, a medical oncologist, a radiation oncologist and a gastroenterologist. We’ve worked successfully as part of these teams in the past, and we’ll continue to do so for patients in the future. Getting insight and advice from a number of experts can ensure you’re getting the best care, but it can also make it a little harder to treat because it takes a coordinated effort.
For more information about the challenges to effective colon cancer research, or to talk to a gastroenterologist about setting up a colonoscopy, reach out to Dr. Bhatti and the team at Bhatti GI Consultants today.
