Colon cancer

There are several types of colon cancer, also known as colon cancer.

• Most often, colorectal cancer develops from polyps. These are benign swellings on the intestinal wall.
• Over the years, these polyps can become malignant and we speak of colon cancer.

You often have no complaints in the beginning. The main features are:

• Blood and/or mucus during bowel movements;
• One change in stool pattern.

In addition, you may also suffer from:

• stomach ache;
• Anemia
• Be pale
• Fatigue
• Being short of breath
• Decreased appetite;
• Weight loss;
• False stool disorder.
  • You then feel like you have to go to the toilet, but nothing comes.

Often there are no symptoms and this form of cancer is picked up by an abnormal test in the population screening.

In such a 1 in 20 cases colorectal cancer is the result of an inherited disorder. We then speak of hereditary colorectal cancer.


Most of the time, the exact cause of colorectal cancer not quite familiar. We do know that several factors increase the risk of colorectal cancer:

• Age:
  • The older you are, the more likely you are.
• Colon cancer in your immediate family:
  • Your father, mother, sisters, brothers or child have (had) the disease.
• One existing bowel disease, such as:
  • The Crohn's disease;
  • Ulcerative Colitis.
• One unhealthy lifestyle:
  • Food with too much red or processed meat, and too little fiber (fruits and vegetables);
  • Alcohol;
  • Smoking;
  • Overweight;
  • Too little exercise.

To rule out a colon tumor, your doctor will refer you for a bowel examination of your colon (colonoscopy).

• Under local or complete anaesthesia, a doctor inserts a tube with a camera into your colon through your anus.
• The doctor examines your bowel completely.
• Does the doctor see suspected injuries?
  • Then he takes a biopsy off.
  • In addition, he removes a small part of the injury for further examination under the microscope.
• Does the doctor see polyps?
  • Then he removes them in their entirety to leave them. trials.

For some reason, there can't be colonoscopy happen? Then the doctor performs a CT colonography out. That's a scan of your entire colon.


Is the doctor sure about the diagnosis? Then he finds out if there is metastasis are by performing a scan, which can be a CT scan but sometimes an MRI or a PET scan is also used.


Based on all these examinations, the doctor then determines which stage the cancer is located. This is important information for choosing a treatment.

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The treatment depends on the stage where the cancer is located. To make decisions related to your treatment, your doctor works with several colleagues in a multidisciplinary team.



Is the tumor confined to your bowel, and are there no metastases in other parts of your body?

• Then the doctor will refer to the surgeon to remove a piece of bowel.
• After the procedure, it is removed part of the intestine and glands researched. This is how it is checked:
  • Whether the tumor was completely removed;
  • How aggressive the tumor is;
  • Whether there are affected glands.
• Are all these things beneficial? Then no further treatment is necessary.

Does the doctor say metastasis solid (usually in the liver, lungs and/or abdominal cavity)?

• Then several treatments are possible:
  • Most often, the treatment consists of: chemotherapy.
  • Sometimes the metastases also become surgically removed;
  • Irradiation can sometimes also have a place in the treatment

Advanced colon tumors can sometimes block your intestinal tract.

• That's what we call a obstruction.
• Then an urgent one usually happens operation.