Can late-stage colon cancer be completely removed by surgery?

Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
Updated on April 06, 2025
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In clinical practice, for patients with mid-to-late-stage colon cancer, even after curative surgical resection, it is often difficult to completely remove the tumor. This is because by the mid-to-late stages, the colon cancer has typically started to invade surrounding tissues. Despite curative surgery, patients may still have subclinical lesions, which are typically hard to detect either under a microscope or with the naked eye. The presence of these subclinical lesions leads to a higher likelihood of recurrence and metastasis after curative surgery in mid-to-late-stage colon cancer patients. Therefore, to reduce the rates of recurrence and metastasis, it is common clinical practice to administer adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy after the curative surgical resection for patients with mid-to-late-stage colon cancer, aiming to decrease the risk of cancer recurrence and metastasis.

Other Voices

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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Is lower right abdominal pain colon cancer?

Pain in the lower right abdomen does not necessarily indicate colon cancer, as there are many possible causes of this pain. Common conditions include acute or chronic appendicitis, gynecological diseases such as pelvic inflammatory disease, torsion of a right ovarian cyst, ectopic pregnancy, and others. Additionally, urological issues like a stone in the lower part of the right ureter can cause severe pain in the lower right abdomen, which are again not indicative of colon cancer. Gastrointestinal diseases like Crohn's disease often lead to pain in the lower right abdomen. Of course, tumors in the ileocecal area or ascending colon can also cause such pain. Hence, while lower right abdominal pain is not necessarily due to colon cancer, in rare cases, it could be.

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Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
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What are the early symptoms of colon cancer?

The early symptoms of colon cancer mainly include discomfort and pain in the lower abdomen, which does not necessarily become more pronounced after eating and generally occurs intermittently. Some patients may also experience changes in stool shape, primarily manifested as narrower stools, or an increased frequency of bowel movements per day, leading to diarrhea. Some patients in the early stages may experience worsening of pre-existing constipation, or alternating symptoms of diarrhea and constipation. Some colon cancer patients in the early stages may experience bloody stools, or the presence of mucus, pus, and blood in the stool, which are some atypical gastrointestinal symptoms of colitis. Some patients may also experience nausea.

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Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
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Is intermittent pain in the upper right abdomen for two months colon cancer?

Persistent dull pain in the upper right abdomen lasting two months is very likely a clinical symptom caused by colon cancer. This is often due to the lesion of colon cancer invading the intestinal mucosa, causing mucosal spasms and resulting in pain. Alternatively, the tumor may cause obstruction of the intestinal lumen, leading to intestinal obstruction, which also presents as pain clinically. This type of pain is generally characterized by persistent dull pain, especially more pronounced at night, and ordinary anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs are less effective in relieving it. The pain will only subside after the lesions of colon cancer are effectively controlled. However, for dull pain in the upper right abdomen, some benign diseases, such as certain ulcerative colitis or chronic intestinal tuberculosis, should also be considered, as they can present with similar symptoms. To definitively diagnose whether the dull pain is caused by colon cancer or a benign colon condition, it is generally necessary to complete related imaging or hematological examinations. Sometimes, histopathological examinations are necessary to differentiate the diagnosis.

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Written by Quan Xiang Mei
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Can baby's stool with blood be colon cancer?

Blood in the stool of babies is different from that in adults. In infants and young children, due to weaker gastrointestinal digestive functions, inappropriate feeding, changes in diet structure, or abnormal gastrointestinal functions can all lead to the presence of blood in the stool, which is usually not due to colon cancer. Therefore, if a child has persistent blood in their stool accompanied by either no weight gain or weight loss, or other abnormal symptoms, and if there is a suspicion of cancer-related factors, parents should promptly take the child to a hospital for a thorough examination. In most cases, blood in a baby's stool is commonly due to poor digestion of the gastrointestinal tract or from gastroenteritis caused by viruses or bacteria due to an increase in the frequency of bowel movements, or it could be due to severe constipation in the baby, where factors like anal fissures might also lead to blood in the stool.

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Early symptoms of colon cancer

Colon cancer often does not have obvious symptoms in its early stages, and of course, the specific situation needs to be analyzed on a case-by-case basis, as it varies from person to person. As the disease progresses, some clinical symptoms may appear. The first one is changes in bowel habits and stool characteristics; there might be blood in the stool, changes such as an increased frequency of defecation, urgency followed by a feeling of incomplete evacuation, and a sensation of rectal fullness, along with possible changes in the shape or thinning of the stool. The second possible symptom is abdominal pain, which may also be accompanied by a feeling of bloating or abdominal discomfort. The third possibility is the symptoms of intestinal obstruction, which include cessation of bowel movements and passing gas. The fourth is that a mass may be felt in the abdomen. The fifth point is that some individuals, especially those in poor health, may experience symptoms of nutritional depletion from the tumor, such as anemia, weight loss, and fatigue. If there is early metastasis, symptoms corresponding to the metastasis may also appear.