In order to detect colon cancer early, everyone, even individuals who are not at high risk, that's, with no symptoms and with no loved ones history of colon cancer, must be screened. Cancer specialists suggest that screening for such individuals start at age 50 and consist of tests that detect colon cancer in the body:

• Colonoscopy, at least every ten years,
• Sigmoidoscopy, at least every five years,
• Double-contrast Barium Enema, at least every 5 years, or
• Virtual Colonoscopy (computed tomographic colonography), at least every 5 years

These tests allow a doctor to truly see the growth or cancer inside the colon. The frequency at which these tests are repeated depends on what is found for the duration of the procedure.

Cancer specialists also recommend tests that look for blood in the stool, such as:

• Annual Guaiac-based Fecal Occult Blood Test (gFOBT)

Such tests detect the presence of blood from tumors within the stool. Generally these tests are not as effective at detecting colon cancer as those that detect cancer inside the body.

Stage of Colon Cancer Determines Treatments and Relative 5-Year Survival Rates

If the disease is detected as a small polyp through a routine screening test, such as a colonoscopy, the polyp can usually be taken out throughout the colonoscopy without the have to have for the surgical removal of any in the colon.

When the polyp becomes a tumor and reaches Stage 1 or Stage two Colon Cancer Screening and Medical Malpractice , the tumor and a portion of the colon on both sides is surgical removed. The relative 5-year survival rate is over 90% for Stage 1 and 73% for Stage 2.

If the disease advances to a Stage three, a colon resection is no longer sufficient and the patient also needs to undergo chemotherapy. The relative 5-year survival rate drops to 53%, depending on such aspects as the number of lymph nodes that contain cancer.

By the time the colon cancer reaches Stage four, therapy may require the use of chemotherapy as well as other drugs and surgery on multiple organs. If the size and number of tumors in other organs (such as the liver and lungs) are small enough, surgery may be the initial treatment, followed by chemotherapy. In some cases the size or number of tumors within the other organs takes away the option of surgery because the initial remedy. If chemotherapy and also other drugs can reduce the number and size of these tumors, surgery may then turn into an option because the second form of treatment Colon Cancer Screening and Medical Malpractice . If not, chemotherapy along with other drugs (possibly through clinical trials) may temporarily stop or decrease the continued spread with the cancer. The relative 5-year survival rate drops to approximately 8%.

As the relative 5-year survival rates indicate, the time frame in which colon cancer is detected and treated makes a dramatic difference. If detected and treated early, the individual has an excellent chance of surviving the disease Colon Cancer Screening and Medical Malpractice . As detection and treatment is delayed, the odds start turning against the individual so that by the time the colon cancer progresses to Stage 3, the percentage is almost even. And the odds drop precipitously when the colon cancer reaches Stage 4.

Failure to Screen for Colon Cancer May Constitute Medical Malpractice

Unfortunately stages of pancreatic cancer, all too usually doctors do not recommend routine colon cancer screening to their patients. By the time the cancer is found - typically due to the fact the tumor has grown so huge that it's causing blockage, considering that the patient has unexplained anemia which is getting progressively worse, or simply because the patient begins to notice other symptoms - the colon cancer has already advanced to a Stage three or perhaps a Stage four. http://symptomsofovariancancer.biz/ The individual now faces a much different prognosis than if the cancer had been detected early through routine screening. In medical malpractice terms, the individual has suffered a "loss of chance" of a much better recovery. That is to say, for the reason that the doctor did not advise the individual to undergo routine screening, http://stagesofcancer.net/ the cancer is now much more advanced and the individual has a much reduced opportunity of surviving the cancer. The failure of a doctor http://stagesofcancer.net/ to advise the individual about screening options for colon cancer may constitute medical malpractice.

Contact a Lawyer Today

You ought to make contact with a lawyer immediately if you feel there was a delayed diagnosis of colon cancer due to a doctor's failure to recommend routine colon cancer screening stages of colon cancer. This article is for informational purposes only and just isn't intended to be legal (or medical) advice. You ought to not act, or refrain from acting, based upon any information at this web site without seeking professional legal counsel. A competent lawyer with experience in medical malpractice can assist you in determining whether you may have a claim for a delay within the diagnosis of colon cancer due to a failure on the component with the doctor to offer colon cancer screening. There's a time limit in cases like these so do not wait to call.