Anton Bilchik Discusses Basic Treatment Options for Colon Cancer

According to National Cancer Institute estimates, there will be 102,480 new cases of colon cancer in the United States in 2013. Anton Bilchik MD wants you to know that, while colon cancer is serious, it is also treatable in many people. The colon is the longest part of the large intestine. There are five basic treatments for colon cancer

Surgery

Surgery to remove the cancerous tissue is the most common treatment for colon cancer, although many patients receive chemotherapy or radiation therapy, in addition to surgery. As a surgical oncologist, Anton Bilchik would perform one of many types of operations to remove the cancerous tumors. Dr. Bilchik would perform a local excision to remove a tumor in its earliest stage; he may not need to cut through the abdominal wall, choosing instead to use remove the cancerous tissue during a colonoscopy.

If the cancer is larger, Dr. Bilchik may perform resection and anastomosis. In this procedure, Anton Bilchik removes the tumor and a small amount of surrounding tissue (resection) before sewing the healthy parts of the colon back together (anastomosis.) If there is not enough healthy tissue left to perform anastomosis, Dr. Bilchik may perform a colostomy, in which he brings one end of the colon to the outside of the body for waste to pass through. Sometimes Anton Bilchik MD can reverse a colostomy after the colon heals

Chemotherapy

This cancer treatment uses drugs to kill or stop the growth of cancer cells in the colon. There are two types of chemotherapy: systemic and regional. Systemic chemotherapy occurs when the patient takes chemotherapy drugs by mouth or by injection; the drugs flow through the bloodstream to reach the tumor. Regional chemotherapy involves placing the chemotherapy drug directly into the abdomen, so that the drug affects only the cells in the colon

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or slow their growth. There are two types of radiation therapy. In external radiation, technicians use a machine outside of the body to direct radiation towards the cancer. During internal radiation therapy, specialists seal radioactive substances in needles, seeds, wires or catheters; the surgeon places this encapsulated radioactive container onto or near the tumor in the colon. Doctors determine which type of radiation therapy to perform, based on the type of tumor and how far the disease has progressed

Targeted Therapy

Targeted therapy uses drugs or other substances that identify and attack cancer cells without harming normal cells. There are two types of targeted therapy: monoclonal antibodies and angiogenesis inhibitors. Monoclonal antibodies identify and attach themselves to substances that may help cancer cells grow; these monoclonal antibodies then kill the cancer cells, block their growth, or prevent them from spreading. Angiogenesis inhibitors stop the growth of blood vessels that cancer cells rely on to grow

Radiofrequency Ablation

In radiofrequency ablation, doctors use a special probe containing tiny electrodes that kill cancer cells. In some cases, doctors insert the probe under the skin after administering local anesthesia. In other cases, surgeons will insert the probe through an incision in the abdomen; doctors perform this procedure in an operating room after placing the patient under general anesthesia

Cryosurgery

Cryosurgery, sometimes called cryotherapy, kills cancer cells by freezing them.

Anyone with questions about colon cancer treatments should contact Anton Bilchik or talk with their personal physicians.