Cancer is one of the most threatening well being conditions in the planet. In the last couple of decades, case of patients who are diagnosed with cancer has been on the rise, which is attributed to changing way of life patterns that increases exposure to cancerous supplies. Apart from rising case of cancer, it has been noted that new forms of cancers have been recorded. Colon cancer is one type of cancers that cause much more than 655,000 deaths in the world each year. Colon cancer is the fifth most common type of cancer in United States (Weitzel, 2009). It has also been ranked as the third largest trigger of cancer related deaths in developed planet. Colon cancers are cancer growths in colon, rectum, or in the appendix. It is much more prevalent in old individuals. Colon cancer can have negative effects on the elderly patients unless they get required therapy and social help (Baron et al., (2005).
Social function can play a grater role in alleviation of effects of colon cancers among elderly.
Colon cancer is scientifically referred to as colorectal cancer. It is also referred to as big bowel cancer. It mainly incorporate cancerous growths on the colon, rectum, or in the appendix. Colon cancer emanates from adenomatous polyps mainly identified in the colon (Weitzel, 2009). Adenomatous polyps are mushroom-shaped, that are benign in nature, despite the fact that some of them develop into cancer over a period of time.
Invasive colon cancer is usually confined to colon wall. These cancerous cells are in stage I and II and can be cured by way of surgery (Baron et al., (2005). Nevertheless, if they are left untreated, they usually spread inside a brief period of time to other regions primarily growing in lymph nodes.
By this time, invasive colon cancers are usually in stage III. Colon cancer in stage III can also be treated but therapy is not that powerful (Weitzel, 2009). Only 73% of the cancerous cells can be cured either by means of surgery or via chemotherapy.
If left untreated at this stage, colon cancer cells moves to stage IV. At state IV, colon cancerous cells metastasize and grow at distant web sites (Weitzel, 2009). In most instances, colorectal cancer usually spread to the liver which mainly causes jaundice and abdominal discomfort. This is the last stage in cell growth and it is not curable. Even so, the life of the patient can be extended primarily via chemotherapy. It has also been noted that in some circumstances, surgery combined with chemotherapy can cure the patient.
Colon cancer can occur at any age (Weitzel, 2009). However, research evidence shows that the risk for colon cancer enhance with age and double each and every ten years following 1 attains the age of forty years. Colon cancer is mainly described as a illness of the elderly given that far more than 75% of individuals with colon cancer are aged 75 years and above (Baron et al., (2005). Median age for diagnoses of cancer stands at 72 years. In the United States, the incidence of cancer is 35/100,000 (Weitzel, 2009). This indicates that 1 in each 20 men and women are likely to suffer from colon cancer in their lifetime. Nonetheless, analysis evidence shows that older patients are under-represented in clinical trials which imply that it has become hard to comprehend the comparison in between prevalence in older adults and young folks.
Signs and symptoms of colorectal cancers varies depending on the portion of the bowel which is affected by the tumor and no matter whether the cancerous cells reaches stage IV and metastasizes to other body parts (Ades, 2009). Nevertheless, it is at times difficult to diagnose colorectal cancers simply because these symptoms generally occur in other body parts. Local symptoms happen when the tumor is close to anus (Baron et al., (2005). Therefore, they incorporate constipation, diarrhea, tenesmus, lower gastrointestinal bleeding, mucus, bloody stool, and a lot of other people. Often, the cancer may possibly develop into a huge tumor that might obstruct the lumen leading to bowel obstruction. This leads to constipation, abdominal pain, vomiting, and other symptoms. Perforated or distended bowel leads to peritonitis. Constitutional symptoms occurs when there advances (Weitzel, 2009). For example due to bleeding patients might encounter iron deficiency anemia leading to fatigue, palpitations, weight loss, and other people. Symptoms of cancer may also include metastatic symptoms like jaundice, pale stool, and others which cancer spread to the liver.
Colon cancer takes a lot of years to grow and hence early detection can be tricky although it increases the probabilities of cure of the condition (Cummings and Bingham, 1998). Colon cancer is generally diagnosed by means of colonoscopy. Nonetheless, there are numerous strategies that are employed in screening of cancer. These consist of digital rectal exam (DRE) using gloved finger inserted in the distal region, fecal occult blood test (FOBT) which tests blood in the stool, and endoscopy (Weitzel, 2009). Endoscopy primarily entails sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy. Even so, there are other screening methods like double contrast barium enema (DCBE), virtual colonoscopy, standard computed axial tomography, and others which are utilised in testing colon cancer.
Course of Illness, Lifespan and Household-focused Intervention
Colon cancer is one of the most complex health conditions that impact old individuals. Due to the weakness of their body symptoms, they are at an increased risk compared to other population groups owing to these components. When diagnosed with the condition, old people are most likely to get into deep crisis on managing their life and they are more likely to become dependant on their family members and buddies for care. When diagnosed with the condition, old people enter into a crisis period ahead of they can accept that they have the condition. This phase can be worse for the patient specially if they do not have other individuals to support them by their side (Marshall and Altpeter, 2005). Emotional disturbances and may possibly lack of social support could easily led to aggravation of the illness symptoms and hence patients will enter into a chronic stage. This is a hazardous phase and if not taken care of, patients can quickly die from the condition. However, if they have good care after the diagnosis of the condition, they can simply recover from the initial crisis. If an elderly individual has someone who can take excellent care of the patient, they are in position to seek medical advice and hence recover quicker compared to when they do not have everyone to take care of them. The terminal phase is the worst phase that patients have to deal with. At terminal phase, patients suffer discomfort and need to have constant attention and care. This phase may present challenge for the patient and caretakers and in case of older folks, they might be taken to a nursing residence or an elderly property where they are taken care of. Terminal phase in coronary cancer is difficult phase even for patients given that they comprehend that they are going to die.