Treatment for the different stages of colon cancer
To treat colon cancer, it is important to determine which stage the cancer is at. The stage of cancer would help in determining the extent of cancer and that helps in drafting the treatment plan accordingly. In most of the stages except for the fourth, surgery might be required to remove the tumor. Several other treatment options are also available to go in conjunction with one another. The following are the treatments available for colon cancer according to the stage: Stage 0 In this stage, the cancer is only found in the innermost lining of the colon. Surgery must be done in this case to remove the affected part. A procedure called polypectomy would be performed by the surgeon which means the tumor and the nearby tissue would be removed. In the case that a larger part of the lining is affected, the surgeon would have to remove the affected part completely, and reattach the healthy tissue for the bowels to still work effectively. This procedure is known as anastomosis. Stage 1 In this stage, the tumor has spread beyond the inner lining of the colon to the second and third layers, surgery would be required to remove the tumor and the tissue around it.