Colon Cancer Treatment
Colon cancer treatment typically involves a combination of two or more therapies. Surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are the most common treatments; other options include tumor ablation, proton therapy and targeted therapy.
Each type of colon cancer treatment has a unique set of advantages and challenges. Surgery, for instance, can remove a tumor (or the majority of a tumor) from a patient’s body, although it may not be the best option for large tumors that have started to spread. Chemotherapy can destroy cancerous cells that have separated from a tumor, but chemo has the potential to cause nausea and other side effects. To provide each patient with the best treatment options and quality of life, Moffitt Cancer Center’s expert oncologists offer individualized colon cancer treatment plans that are fully tailored to the specifics of a patient’s diagnosis.
Depending on the stage, location, size and cellular makeup of a colon cancer patient’s tumor, our oncologists might recommend:
- A polypectomy, colectomy or other surgical procedure to remove as much of the tumor as possible
- Chemotherapy, which destroys cancerous cells with powerful medications, such as 5-Fluorouracil
- Targeted therapy, in which non-chemotherapeutic drugs are used to inhibit the growth of a cancerous polyp
- Brachytherapy (internal radiation therapy), in which radioactive materials are inserted into or around a cancerous polyp
- Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), 3D-conformal radiation therapy or another form of external beam radiation therapy, through which radioactive beams are directed at a tumor from a machine located outside the patient’s body
- Proton therapy, which uses powerful particles known as protons in place of traditional radiation to destroy tumors
- A clinical trial, through which promising new treatments are compared to existing therapies under the supervision of a patient’s treatment team
For our patients’ convenience, we offer each of these colon cancer treatment options in a single location. At Moffitt, our surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and supportive care providers all contribute to the development and delivery of a patient’s treatment plan, and each patient’s progress is routinely reviewed by our tumor board so that adjustments can be made as necessary.
Referrals are not needed to make an appointment at Moffitt Cancer Center. To learn more about our spectrum of colon cancer treatment options, call 1-888-663-3488 or submit a new patient registration form online.
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