What should be done after the complete removal of colon cancer?

Written by Cui Fang Bo

Oncology

Updated on March 29, 2025

00:00

00:00

After surgical removal of colon cancer, the postoperative treatment strategy should be determined based on the precise staging of the cancer according to the surgical pathology. If the colon cancer has invaded the mucosal layer and the submucosal layer, or the muscular layer, it is staged as stage I; postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy is not required, and regular follow-up is sufficient. If the colon cancer reaches stage II or III, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy is needed to reduce the risk of postoperative recurrence and metastasis. Stage IV colon cancer does not fall under the aforementioned conditions of clean removal of the cancer.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Sun Ming Yue

Medical Oncology

52sec

home-news-image

What are the symptoms of bone metastases from colon cancer?

Colon cancer generally refers to a malignant tumor that grows on the colon and typically appears in middle-aged populations. If colon cancer is not treated promptly, it can easily lead to bone metastasis. The bone metastasis of colon cancer is similar to other tumor metastases. The symptoms such as chest pain or tenderness upon pressing could be caused by bone metastasis from lung cancer. In the early stages of colon cancer, there are generally no symptoms of bone metastasis. However, once the tumor metastasizes to weight-bearing bones, thoracic vertebrae, cervical vertebrae, or lumbar vertebrae, it can result in paralysis. Patients must seek timely medical examination and treatment at a hospital to prevent the cancer cells from metastasizing.

home-news-image

Written by Yan Chun

Oncology

1min 1sec

home-news-image

Is having dry stools every day colon cancer?

Dry stools every day can be a clinical manifestation of colon cancer, often due to lesions in the colon caused by the invasion of cancer. Sometimes, it is caused by cancerous bowel obstruction. In addition to dry stools, some patients may also experience nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, and constipation. However, daily dry stools are not solely caused by colon cancer; some benign intestinal diseases can also lead to this condition, such as chronic constipation or melanosis coli, where patients may experience daily hard stools. Moreover, if dry stools occur daily and persist over a long period, they can potentially lead to malignant changes. Therefore, patients with daily dry stools should regularly undergo colonoscopy to prevent any pathological changes that might have progressed to cancer. Prompt treatment should be administered if the condition worsens.

home-news-image

Written by Sun Wei

Surgical Oncology

47sec

home-news-image

How long can one live after colon cancer surgery?

If colon cancer can be treated surgically, generally, the outcomes might be quite good. It often applies to cancer in relatively early stages, with potentials to survive for over three years, five years, or even longer. Of course, there are cases of colon cancer that are discovered in later stages, where complete surgical removal is not possible, and only palliative stoma surgery can be performed. In such situations, the survival time might be within three to five years, but the exact life expectancy cannot be fully determined. Each individual's condition is different, and treatment must be adapted accordingly. Typically after surgery, treatments like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted therapy might be used in combination to prolong survival.

home-news-image

Written by Sun Wei

Surgical Oncology

54sec

home-news-image

Is colon cancer surgery a major surgery?

Colon cancer surgery is considered a relatively major procedure, ranking as a class three or four surgery in general surgery. Generally, it involves the resection of the entire transverse colon or tumors located in other areas such as the ascending or descending colon, accompanied by the removal of surrounding lymph nodes, followed by intestinal anastomosis and digestive tract reconstruction. Post-surgery, comprehensive anti-tumor treatment is usually required. After colon cancer surgery, the main focus is on preventing intestinal leakage, which is a serious complication. Dietary intake needs to be gradually restored after surgery. Initially, the patient may only be able to consume liquid and easily digestible foods, gradually transitioning to semi-liquid and regular diets, while also paying attention to eating smaller, more frequent meals.

home-news-image

Written by Shen Jiang Chao

Radiology

1min 8sec

home-news-image

Colorectal Cancer CT Manifestations and Differential Diagnosis

Early-stage colon cancer is difficult to clearly detect on a CT scan. In the moderate to late stages, colon cancer has more typical manifestations on CT, mainly characterized by thickening of the colon wall, irregular narrowing of the intestinal lumen, and stiffness of the intestinal wall. After enhancement, significant enhancement can be observed. The pericolonic fat space may appear blurred, and in the late stages, small lymph nodes can be seen, and even distant metastasis, most commonly to the liver, can be detected. It is necessary to differentiate colon cancer from colonic inflammation. Inflammatory lesions are usually more widespread and have typical clinical features such as fever and abdominal pain. It is also necessary to differentiate from lymphoma, as lymphomas also cause narrowing of the intestinal lumen but the narrowing is not eccentric and the intestinal wall remains soft, generally not leading to obstruction, whereas in late-stage colon cancer, colonic obstruction can be observed.