Colon is an important part of the human digestive system and the growth of malignant tissue in the colon is known as colon cancer. This type of cancer is very much dreaded and it can harm the digestive system a lot. It is a type of malignant tumor which can be formed from the inner wall of the large intestine. The tumor breaks down the tissues and therefore spreads into the other parts of the body.

Symptoms:

The common symptoms of colon cancer are: constipation, abdominal pain, blood spots in the stool, diarrhea and any kind of unusual bowl movement. However, these are not the conclusive symptoms of this type of cancer as these can also be a symptom of common digestion related problem. In these cases, one must take the advice of any qualified health specialist and should tell the doctor about all the symptoms to facilitate faster as well as to have a proper diagnosis. Therefore, the doctor may prescribe the patient several examinations/tests for the accurate diagnose of colon cancer.

Tests to detect:

Most of the colon tests need empty bowl, so one need to go through some preparation before opting for the tests. Special type of X-Ray and colonoscopy which uses a colon scope and fiber-optic camera are used to diagnose the colon cancer. The tests can be painful as they need insertion of the substances or instruments through the anus to the colon of the patient. The detection procedure of colon cancer is also known as Gastrointestinal procedures or GI procedures. This procedure includes:

• Capsule Endoscopy- The capsule endoscopy is used to test the middle part of the gastrointestinal tract, specially the small intestine, which cannot be checked with a normal colonoscopy or endoscopy. In this procedure, the patient has to swallow a pill sized wireless camera. The pill goes through the small intestine of the patient, clicks pictures and therefore sends it to the recording device which is attached with the patient’s body. (more…)

Despite continuing research and studies related to mesothelioma, this cancer is still difficult to treat. This rare but aggressive disease attacks approximately 2,500 people in United States every year. The conventional treatments for mesothelioma are comprised of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

Surgery

Surgery may be used in both pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma patients. Surgeons usually prefer to provide a surgical procedure when the cancer is localized and debulking of the tumor is practical. Today, many mesothelioma specialists use heated chemotherapy in conjunction with surgery. During the actual procedure heated chemotherapy can be introduced into the surgical cavity to bathe any macro or micro metastasis that the surgeon was unable to excise. In this way, the cytotoxic effects of chemo can be imparted directly to the tissues where it is most needed.

There are different types of surgeries including lung sparring surgery and extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP). In lung sparring surgery, surgeons remove the diseased membrane lining the lung and any visible mesothelioma tumors, but spare the lung. Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) is a more radical surgical procedure that involves removal of the diseased lung, part of the pericardium, (membrane covering the heart), part of the diaphragm (muscle between the lungs and the abdomen), and part of the parietal pleura (membrane lining the chest). EPP is an invasive and complex operation.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy, also referred to as systemic therapy, includes oral and intravenous cytotoxic (cell-killing) medications to kill the cancerous cells. These drugs kill both cancerous as well as healthy cells. Some of the most commonly used chemotherapy drugs to treat mesothelioma are cisplatin and pemetrexed. In fact cisplatin and pemetrexed (brand name Alimta) in combination is the only FDA approved chemotherapy for mesothelioma. (more…)