These are some questions you may want to ask the doctor before surgery: What kind of operation will it be? How will I feel afterward? If I have pain, how will you help me? Will I need a colostomy? Will it be temporary or permanent? How long will I be in th...
It is often hard to limit the effects of therapy so that only cancer cells are removed or destroyed. Because healthy tissue may also be damaged, treatment can cause unpleasant side effects. The side effects of cancer treatment are different for each person...
Although colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the United States, scientists are trying to learn more about what causes the disease and how it can be prevented. Doctors do not yet know why one person gets colorectal cancer and anot...
Some people are more likely to develop colorectal cancer than others. Studies have found that certain factors increase a person’s risk. The following are risk factors for this disease: Polyps – Most (perhaps all) colorectal cancers develop in polyps. Polyp...
Most health problems respond best to treatment when they are diagnosed and treated as early as possible. This is especially true of colorectal cancer. Treatment is most effective before the disease spreads. People can take an active role in the early detec...
Colorectal cancer can cause many symptoms. Warning signs to watch for include: Change in bowel habits Diarrhea or constipation Blood in or on the stool (either bright red or very dark in color) Stools that are narrower than usual General stomach discomfort...
To find the cause of symptoms, the doctor will ask about your personal and family medical history. He will do a physical exam, and may order laboratory tests. In addition to the exams discussed above, the doctor may also order the following tests: Lower GI...
The doctor develops a treatment plan to fit each patient’s needs. Treatment for colorectal cancer depends on the size and location of the tumor, the stage of the disease, the patient’s general health, and other factors. Most people who have cancer want to ...
Treatment decisions are complex. Sometimes it is helpful for patients to have a second opinion about the diagnosis and the treatment plan. Some insurance companies require a second opinion; others provide coverage for a second opinion at the patient’s requ...
Surgery is the most common treatment for colorectal cancer and may be the only treatment needed. The type of operation depends on the location and size of the tumor. Most patients have a partial colectomy. In this operation, the surgeon takes out the part ...
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy is sometimes given after surgery for colorectal cancer to try to prevent the disease from recurring, or coming back. This additional treatment is called adjuvant therapy. The doctor may us...
Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) is the use of high-energy rays to damage cancer cells and stop them from growing. Like surgery, radiation therapy is local therapy; it can affect cancer only in the treated area. Radiation is sometimes used befo...
Biological therapy is a cancer treatment that helps the body’s immune (defense) system attack and destroy cancer cells. For some patients, biological therapy may be combined with chemotherapy as adjuvant treatment after surgery. Patients may need to stay i...
Each cancer survivor’s recovery is different, and a person’s adjustment after cancer treatment depends on a number of factors.Ovarian cancer can cause major life changes in its survivors.If a woman undergoes removal of the ovaries and/or uterus, she will b...
The choice of treatment for cervical cancer depends on the location and the size of the tumor, the stage (extent) of the disease, the woman's age and general health, and other factors. Gynecologic oncologists have expertise in the diagnostic evaluation and...
Cells on the surface of the cervix sometimes appear abnormal but not cancerous. Scientists believe that some abnormal changes in cells on the cervix are the first step in a series of slow changes that can lead to cancer years later. That is, some abnormal ...
Three kinds of treatment are used to treat liver cancer: * Surgery – taking out the cancer in an operation * Chemotherapy – using antidrugs to kill cancer cells * Radiation therapy – aiming high-energy rays at the cancer to destroy it A doctor ...
These symptoms might be caused by liver cancer: Unexplained weight loss Anorexia (persistent lack of appetite) Early satiety (feeling very full after a small meal) Persistent abdominal pain Increasing abdominal girth (swelling of the "stomach" area) with o...
Here are some questions you may want to ask your doctor: How can this disease be treated? What are my treatment choices? How successful is the treatment likely to be? Would a clinical trial be appropriate for me? What are the expected benefits of treatment...
The methods used to treat thyroid cancer are very powerful. That's why treatment often causes side effects. Fortunately, most side effects are temporary. After radioiodine therapy, some people get swelling of the salivary glands in the cheeks or neck. Thi...
Because of advances in diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer, a longer and better life is possible for patients today. Treatment planning takes into account the type of thyroid cancer and the stage of the disease as well as the general health and age o...
The doctor will ask about your medical history and will do a careful physical exam, with special attention to feeling your thyroid and checking for lumps in the neck. You may also be asked to have a blood test or special scans. The best screening test for ...
While doctors can seldom explain why one person gets thyroid cancer and another doesn't, we do know that the disease is not contagious; no one can "catch" thyroid cancer from another person. Scientists do not know exactly what causes this disease, but rese...
Here are some questions you may want to ask your doctor: How can this disease be treated? What are my treatment choices? How successful is the treatment likely to be? Would a clinical trial be appropriate for me? What are the expected benefits of treatment...
The methods used to treat endocrine cancer are very powerful. That's why treatment often causes side effects. Fortunately, most side effects are temporary. The side effects of chemotherapy depend on the drugs given and the individual response of the patien...
Because of advances in diagnosis and treatment of endocrine cancer, a longer and better life is possible for patients today. Treatment planning takes into account the size and location of the tumor, whether it is likely to grow slowly or rapidly, and the g...
The doctor will ask about your medical history and will do a careful physical exam. You most likely will be asked to give blood for hormone measurements, and you may also be asked to have an ultrasound, CT scan or MRI to enable the doctor to determine wher...
Surgery is sometimes a treatment options for spine tumors. The type of surgery that your doctor recommends will depend on the type of tumor, the location, and the symptoms you are experiencing. If you have weakness, numbness of paralysis of arms and legs, ...
Stereotactic radiosurgery is a radiation therapy technique for treating brain tumors without surgery. A rigid head frame is used to help aim high-dose radiation beams directly at the tumors and not at normal brain tissue. One stereotactic radiosurgery tech...
Clinical trials are designed to determine whether a new approach is both safe and effective. Treatments that may be studied include: Radiation twice daily Hyperthermia, in which a tumor is heated to increase the effect of radiation Drugs injected into the ...
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