Our large intestine is made up of the colon and rectum. In case of colorectal cancer, adenomatous polyps may begin to form on the inner wall of the large intestine. Over time, some of these polyps may turn into colorectal cancer. Researchers are still studying the exact factors that trigger colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer affects about 150,000 people every year, making it the third most common cancer in both men and women, according to statistics.
To remove the tumor caused by colorectal cancer, the patient may undergo surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation.
- Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy, chemical is used as medicine to prevent the disease. More specifically, chemotherapy typically refers to the destruction of cancer cells. Antibiotics or other medications may also be used in chemotherapy to treat any illness or infection. Moreover, before you decide, you need to know that there are several disadvantages that are associated with chemotherapy.
- Radiation therapy. Cancer patients may also undergo radiation therapy as treatment. High doses of radiation are employed to kill these cancer cells and stop them from spreading. The radiation may be external, from special machines, or internal, from radioactive substances that a doctor places inside your body. Moreover, there is a potential that healthy cells are damaged during the process of radiation therapy.
- Surgery. Surgery is usually the main treatment for bowel cancer, but in about one in five cases, the cancer is too advanced to be removed by surgery. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy or biological therapy is also required although you already have surgery.
If your doctor recommends colorectal surgery, you may be a candidate for minimally invasive da Vinci surgery. This procedure uses a robotic surgical system.
However, both patient and procedure may play a role on how effective robotic surgery is. Colon cancer patients may not be appropriate to undergo robotic surgery although it is believed to be safe and effective. Moreover, there are reports of serious complications caused by robotic surgery and its manufacturer claimed that these are only negative reviews. Before undergoing a robotic surgery, FDA tells patientsto talk to their respective doctor in order to determine if da Vinci is the best surgical procedure for them.
References:
nhs.uk/Conditions/cancer-of-the-colon-rectum-or-bowel/Pages/treatment.aspx
cancer.org/cancer/colonandrectumcancer/detailedguide/colorectal-cancer-treating-surgery
mskcc.org/cancer-care/adult/colorectal/surgery-0
uptodate.com/contents/colon-and-rectal-cancer-beyond-the-basics
