One of the hardest parts of staying ahead of cancer is knowing when it is time to go for regular screenings and which ones are important to get. For colorectal cancer, there are a variety of ways it is detected, and treatments generally have very good outcomes if the cancer is caught in an early stage.
DETECTING THE CANCERS
There are a few different steps doctors take to detect and confirm these cancers:
- Digital rectal exams during a routine physical
- Stool tests to follow up
- Sigmoidoscopy, the use of a thin lighted tube to explore the colon
- A double-contrast barium enema
- Colonoscopy
If any of the exam methods find abnormalities, the next step is to immediately perform a biopsy to check for cancerous qualities.
SYMPTOMS
If you have not been screened but you present with symptoms, a doctor is likely to order the screening regardless of whether or not you are due for the screening. Those symptoms include:
- General abdominal discomfort
- Bloating
- Alternating diarrhea and constipation
- Unexplained weight loss
- Rectal bleeding in your stool
TREATMENT OPTIONS
If you need Anchorage colorectal cancer treatment, your Anchorage Cancer Center is likely to use surgical methods to remove the tumor as long as it has not spread. This allows for a straightforward excision under ideal circumstances. If the cancer has spread, surgery may be combined with other traditional cancer therapies, including radiation and chemotherapy, prior to surgery.
CONTACT US
If you have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer and you are seeking treatment, contact us immediately to be put on the calendar, and get the answers you need to successfully treat your condition and get you back on your feet again. Make your appointment today to find out what your best course of treatment for your colorectal cancer will be.