Colorectal Cancer

Colon cancer begins when healthy cells in the lining of the colon or rectum change and grow out of control, forming a mass called a tumor. It is also called ” bowel cancer”, “colon cancer”, or “rectal cancer”. In the Colorectal cancer Colon and rectum are affected. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in India and the treatment depends on how advanced the cancer has become but often includes some type of surgery to remove the tumor. Dr. Manoj Dongare is one of the best colorectal cancer specialist in Pune which handles each and every case with utmost care.

Colorectal cancer may not cause symptoms in the early stages. If it does:

• changes in bowel habits
• diarrhea or constipation
• a feeling that the bowel does not empty properly
• blood in feces that makes it look dark brown or black
• bright red blood from the rectum
• abdominal pain and bloating
• feeling full, even when a long time has passed since a meal
• fatigue or tiredness
• unexplained weight loss
• anemia

If you notice any of the symptoms, you must visit a Cancer doctor in Pune at the earliest. The fastest assessment and subsequent treatment will help you combat this medical condition and live a better life.

The following factors may raise a person’s risk of developing colorectal cancer:

• Age: The risk of colorectal cancer increases as people get older.
• Race: Black people have the highest rates of colorectal cancer
• Gender: Men have a slightly higher risk of developing colorectal cancer than women.
• Family history of colorectal cancer: Colorectal cancer may run in the family if first-degree relatives (parents, brothers, sisters, children) or any other family members have had colorectal cancer.
• Rare inherited conditions: Members of families with certain uncommon inherited conditions have a higher risk of colorectal cancer,
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): People with IBD. This increases the risk of colorectal cancer.
• Personal history of certain types of cancer: People with a personal history of colorectal cancer previously are more likely to develop colorectal cancer.
• Physical inactivity and obesity: People who lead an inactive lifestyle, meaning no regular exercise and a lot of sitting, and people who are overweight or obese may have an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
• Food/diet. Current research consistently links eating more red meat and processed meat to a higher risk of the disease.
• Smoking: Recent studies have shown that smokers are more likely to die from colorectal cancer than nonsmokers.

Doctors use many tests to find or diagnose, cancer. They also do tests to learn if cancer has spread to another part of the body from where it started. If this happens, it is called metastasis. For example, imaging tests can show if cancer has spread. There are many tests used for diagnosing colorectal cancer. Dr. Manoj Dongare may consider these factors when choosing a diagnostic test:

• Colonoscopy: A colonoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the entire rectum and colon while a patient is sedated.
• Biopsy: A biopsy is the removal of a small amount of tissue for examination under a microscope.
• Blood tests: Because colorectal cancer often bleeds into the large intestine or rectum, people with the disease may become anemic.
• Computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan: A CT scan takes pictures of the inside of the body using x-rays taken from different angles.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): An MRI uses magnetic fields, not x-rays, to produce detailed images of the body.
• Ultrasound: An ultrasound uses sound waves to create a picture of the internal organs to find out if cancer has spread.
• Chest x-ray: An x-ray is a way to create a picture of the structures inside of the body, using a small amount of radiation. An x-ray of the chest can help doctors find out if cancer has spread to the lungs.
• Positron emission tomography (PET) or PET-CT scan: A PET scan is usually combined with a CT scan (see above), called a PET-CT scan.

After diagnostic tests are done, Dr. Manoj Dongare will review the results with you. If the diagnosis is cancer, these results also help the doctor describe cancer. This is called staging.

Treatment options and recommendations depend on several factors, including the type and stage of cancer, possible side effects, and the patient’s preferences and overall health. But the most common treatment of the colon cancer include

• Surgery: Surgery is the primary treatment for colorectal cancer that is limited to the colon. It aims to remove cancerous tissue, including tumors and affected lymph nodes, and prevent cancer from spreading. The surgery of colorectal cancer depends upon stages of Cancer that include

1) Early Stage Colorectal Cancer Surgery: If your colon cancer is very small, Dr. Manoj Dongare may recommend a minimally invasive approach to surgery such as Removing polyps during a colonoscopy (polypectomy), Endoscopic mucosal resection, and Minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopic surgery). Early stage cancer removed by above 3 surgical processes.

2) Advance Stage Colorectal Cancer Surgery:

If cancer has grown into or through your colon, Dr. Manoj Dongare may recommend you Partial colectomy, Surgery to create a way for waste to leave your body, and Lymph node removal surgery. This type of surgery removes colorectal cancer and resists to grown in other body parts.

3) Very Advanced Colorectal Cancer Surgery: If your cancer is in the very advanced stage at that condition and cancer has spread only to the liver or lung but your overall health is otherwise good. In this Condition, Dr. Manoj Dongare may recommend surgery or other localized treatments to remove cancer. Chemotherapy may be used before or after this type of procedure. This approach provides a chance to be free of cancer over the long term.

• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to destroy cancer cells, usually by keeping the cancer cells from growing, dividing, and making more cells. Chemotherapy may be given after surgery to eliminate any remaining cancer cells. For some people with rectal cancer, the doctor will give chemotherapy and radiation therapy before surgery to reduce the size of a rectal tumor and reduce the chance of the cancer returning.
• Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells. It is commonly used for treating rectal cancer because this kind of tumor tends to recur near where it originally started. A doctor who specializes in giving radiation therapy to treat cancer is called a radiation oncologist. A radiation therapy regimen, or schedule, usually consists of a specific number of treatments given over a set period of time.
• Targeted therapies:  Targeted drug treatments focus on specific abnormalities present within cancer cells. By blocking these abnormalities, targeted drug treatments can cause cancer cells to die.
• Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy, also called biologic therapy, is designed to boost the body’s natural defenses to fight cancer. It uses materials made either by the body or in a laboratory to improve, target, or restore immune system function.

Dr. Manoj Dongare at Dr. D. Y. Patil Hospital and Research Center provides the best treatment for various gastrointestinal diseases in Pimpri Chinchwad Pune. For more information about our comprehensive treatment options, or to request an appointment with the best Surgical Oncologist in Pune call 09881379573 or Click on Book Appointment for online booking with your near hospital.