Life expectancy of patients with bowel cancer
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Bowel cancer prognosis is different for each patient. But, at the same time, it’s connected with the key factors: stage of disease at the moment of its diagnosis, tumor type and location, presence of the concomitant diseases, methods of treatment. World statistic data are constantly being updated and gives a chance to presuppose how successful the treatment of bowel cancer at each stage will be.
Content
- Bowel cancer stage 1: life expectancy
- Bowel cancer stage 2: life expectancy
- Bowel cancer stage 3: life expectancy
- Bowel cancer stage 4: life expectancy
- Hospitals and prices for colon cancer treatment abroad
- Booking Health helps to undergo medical treatment abroad
Bowel cancer stage 1: life expectancy
As long as the question about bowel cancer life expectancy depends on the actual primary tumor size and qualitative detection of metastases, it is important to undergo a special examination on time in the onset of bowel cancer symptoms: constant abdominal pain and problems with stool, blood or pus in the faeces.
If the disease is detected at the first stage, colon cancer prognosis is as favorable as it can be possible. According to the National Cancer Institute, the 5-year survival rate is 92%.
This means that more than 92% of people affected by the disease will be well tolerant towards treatment according to the standard protocol, achieve remission and will successfully live after that for more than five years. Surgical interventions in bowel cancer are mostly performed at this stage.
Bowel cancer stage 2: life expectancy
Prognosis for stage 2 bowel cancer directly depends on the size of the intestinal wall affected by the malignant tumor. In stage 2a, the disease affects the intestinal wall completely, but does not go beyond its borders. At the same time, the oncologic focus can be clearly separated from the surrounding tissues, which increases the effectiveness of surgical treatment.
At stage 2b, the tumor spreads to the neighboring organs-the liver, bladder, and uterus in women. Relatively favorable prognosis and high life expectancy in bowel cancer are associated with complete absence of metastases in other sites of the body or the spread of cancer onto the lymphatic system.
Moreover, women have a more favorable prognosis for stage 2 bowel parts cancer which is due to the peculiarities of the tumor focus growth on the background of the influence of female sex hormones. When studying the statistics, it is worth remembering that it, in fact, reflects the situation five years ago. Surgical techniques are constantly being improved, allowing elimination of pathological foci more thoroughly and sometimes to perform minimally invasive surgical interventions. Accordingly, in the course of time, more favorable, relevant and updated statistic data will accumulate.
Understanding bowel cancer life expectancy, and which particular treatment method should be chosen, is based on the results of a preliminary medical examination. It is important to determine the stage of the disease as accurately as possible and not miss its spread into the abdominal cavity, metastasis to other organs or involvement of the lymph nodes in the pathological process.
Life expectancy of the patient with bowel cancer is determined by the professionalism of the surgeon and the completeness of the operation. In case of complete removal of the oncologic focus, the postoperative period recovery is easier, and a minimum course of chemotherapy is required for bowel cancer.
According to the National Cancer Institute, the 5-year survival rate at stage 2 of bowel cancer reaches 87% at stage 2a and 63% at stage 2b.
Bowel cancer stage 3: life expectancy
Prognosis and clinical signs of bowel cancer at the 3rd stage depend on the size and location of the tumor in the intestinal wall in combination with the number and location of the affected lymph nodes. In stage 3a, the tumor formation reaches a small size and is located predominantly in the lumen of the intestine. It does not affect adjacent organs. Despite this, with a thorough examination, the doctor reveals the spread of the process to the nearby lymph nodes.
Next, 3b stage is distinguished by the large size of the tumor and its more aggressive spread along the intestinal wall and organs of the abdominal cavity. Stage 3b life expectancy prognosis depends on the development of further disease complications.
The most common complications are:
- Acute obstruction of the intestine, which often develops when the neoplasm is located in the initial parts of the intestine
- Infectious complications, phlegm on and abscesses of retroperitoneal tissue
- Symptoms of damage to organs adjacent to the tumor
Stage 3c differs from previous stages with the spread of the pathological process to a large number of lymph nodes. At the same time, the tumor itself can be compact, does not go beyond the gut and does not lead to the development of typical complications. The inability to completely remove all cancer sites in stage 3c reduces the 5-year survival rate to 53%. In this case, after the surgical treatment, the second stage - treatment with polychemotherapy will inevitably follow. Modern pharmacological development can improve expectations as for bowel cancer life expectancy. In such clinical cases, radiation therapy for bowel cancer can also be carried out.
The prognosis of stage 3a bowel cancer is relatively favorable and 89% of patients affected by the disease overcome the 5-year threshold after the precise diagnosis making and modern treatment. As for stage 3b colon cancer life expectancy, 5-year-survival reaches 69%.
Bowel cancer stage 4: life expectancy
An important distinctive feature of stage 4 bowel cancer is the detection of metastases in remote areas of the body. In the early stages, metastases are formed in the liver, through which blood flows from the organs of the abdominal cavity and small pelvis. Less often, foci appear in the lungs, genitals, bones, pancreas and adrenal glands. The number and location of metastases significantly affect stage 4 bowel cancer life expectancy prognosis. In particular, with lung metastases, additional techniques are used. This can be an intensified course of polychemotherapy or embolization of metastases with chemotherapy drugs. Judging on response to treatment, a reduction in metastases size or their complete disappearance on CT / MRI, the doctor can determine stage 4 bowel cancer life expectancy prognosis.
Often short life expectancy with disease is connected with late diagnosis making or improper selection of individual treatment. Despite the disappointing statistical data, bowel cancer stage 4 prognosis is extremely personalised.
The following factors have the greatest importance in the treatment of bowel cancer at the 4th stage and in determination of prognoses:
- Age - as the chances of recovery are higher in patients under the age of 60
- Gender and the prognosis is more favorable in men
- The presence of concomitant diseases, the most important in this regard, dysfunctions of the liver and kidneys, the state of the cardiovascular system
- Presence of an oncology in the anamnesis, at primary diagnosing the bowel cancer stage 4 prognosis is more favorable
- Sensitivity of tumor cells to chemotherapy
To predict bowel cancer stage 4 life expectancy prognosis, it is important to assess not only the medical factors and the possibility of specialized treatment, but also the psycho-emotional state of the patient. Of course, it is important to perform the operation in a timely manner, as well as to conduct chemotherapy to fight metastases. Nevertheless, competent psychological support helps a person find strength to fight the disease and believe in the attainability of remission.
Bowel cancer stage 4 life expectancy prognosis is not the only thing that matters, but also patient’s life quality and its fullness.
It will be useful to:
- Attend individual and group sessions of supportive psychotherapy
- Determination of a competent regime of physical activity by the attending physician
- Communication with patients in disease-related communities, acquaintance with those who have recovered from the disease
According to the National Cancer Institute, the 5-year survival rate of stage 4 bowel cancer patients reaches 11%.
Hospitals and prices for colon cancer treatment abroad
The cost of examination and treatment in hospitals abroad depends, first of all, on the country and the level of the medical facility. The cost of the medical program is also influenced by the patient's age, the presence of concomitant diseases, the stage of cancer and the type of tumor. Leading hospitals for colon cancer treatment abroad are:
- Helios Hospital Berlin-Buch, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectology
- University Hospital Duesseldorf, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectology
- University Hospital of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
- University Hospital Ulm, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
- University Hospital Frankfurt am Main, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Pulmonology, Allergology, Endocrinology and Diabetology
Average prices for examination and treatment:
- Colon cancer diagnostics – €4,000
- Laparoscopic resection of the affected parts of the colon -– €24,500
- Resection of the affected parts of the colon with the da Vinci robot – €42,000
- Colon cancer treatment with chemotherapy – €8,200
- Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for colon cancer – €60,500
- Oncological rehabilitation – €1,700 per day
Booking Health helps to undergo medical treatment abroad
If you want to know the costs for a treatment of bowel cancer in Germany, in Israel or other countries, you can contact the medical tourism operator Booking Health. Please, fill out the "Send a request" form on our website, and the medical consultant will contact you within 24 hours.
In addition, Booking Health offers help in such important aspects:
- Choosing the right clinic based on the annual qualification profile
- Establishing communication directly with your doctor
- Preparing medical program in advance, without repeating previous examinations
- Providing favorable costs, without overpricing and additional coefficients for foreign patients (saving up to 50%)
- Booking the appointment on the necessary date
- Monitoring medical program at all stages
- Help in buying and forwarding of medicines
- Communication with the clinic after treatment completion
- Control of invoices and return of unspent funds
- Organization of additional examinations
- Offering service of the highest level: booking hotels and plane tickets, transfer organization
- Services of interpreter and personal medical coordinator
Choose treatment abroad and you will for sure get the best results!
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova, Dr. Farrukh Ahmed. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
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