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What is my risk for cancer recurrence?
Even after treatment for colorectal cancer,
there is a risk that your cancer will come back. In 35 to 40 percent of people
treated for colorectal cancer, the cancer will come back within 3 to 5 years of
treatment. The cancer may recur in the colon or rectum, or in another part of
the body. Recurrent colorectal cancer often is found in the liver and/or lungs.
What is the outlook following treatment for colorectal cancer?
Every person is different and responds differently to treatment. However,
with prompt and appropriate treatment, the outlook for a person with colorectal
cancer is hopeful. The survival rate for people with colorectal cancer depends
on the extent of the cancer at the time of diagnosis and the person's response
to treatment. In addition, many new discoveries have the potential for improving
the treatment of colorectal cancer, as well as the prognosis.
The following factors determine how well a person will do after treatment for
colorectal cancer:
- Size of the cancer.
The size of the tumor and how deep it has gone into the tissue affects whether
or not it will return. The deeper the tumor invades tissues, the higher the
chance of recurrence.
- Number of lymph glands involved.
The lymphatic system helps coordinate the immune system’s function to
protect the body from foreign substances. The more lymph glands that were
affected by the cancer, the more likely your cancer will return.
- Spread to other organs.
If the colorectal cancer is discovered in the later stages, it may have spread
to other organs, such as the liver or lungs. This may increase your chance
that the cancer will recur. In this case, additional chemotherapy or radiation
may be needed to help prevent the further spread of the cancer.
- Quality of the surgery.
This is important for colon cancer, but particularly important for rectal
cancer, where the surgery can be more difficult. Survival rates for Stage III
rectal cancers can vary from 30 to 75 percent, depending on who does the
operation.
Many people who have had colorectal cancer live normal life spans. The
treatments available today offer a lot of hope, but you may need several
treatments or a combination of treatments including surgery, chemotherapy, and
radiation to have the best chance of curing cancer.
What happens if the cancer comes back?
If the cancer has come back in only one part of the body, treatment may
consist of an operation to take out the cancer. If the cancer has spread to
several parts of the body, a doctor may give you either chemotherapy or
radiation. You also may choose to participate in a clinical trial testing
new chemotherapy drugs or biological therapy.
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