The average five-year survival rate at this stage tends to be around 20 to 30 percent. Stages Of Colon Cancer SymptomsWhilst these figures make the outlook look bad, an end to all hope should not be dismissed with stage 4 colon cancer. The importance of screening and early detection at this time is paramount.

If stage 4 colon cancer has been diagnosed, this means that the cancer has now manifested itself in other parts of the body. It is almost certain that the cancer has invaded the lymph node system and could possibly be found in the liver, lungs, bones and even the brain. Even at this stage, it is still possible for people to live past the projected five-year period. It all depends on the location of the spread of the stage 4 colon cancer. However, overall, the prognosis for stage 4 survival is not overly optimistic.

Even now, when stage 4 colon cancer has been diagnosed, there are several medical procedures and treatments that can be used to lessen symptoms. In areas where tumors can be removed, surgery can be performed to remove these tumors. If surgery isn’t an option, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are often used to help. Whilst there may not be a ‘cure’ for stage 4 colon cancer, doctors strive to help those diagnosed to live their lives, if not a little longer, then at least a little more comfortably.

Although inappropriate diet and unhealthy lifestyle considerably increase the risks of developing colon cancer, many forms of the disease occur on the premises of underlying genetic predispositions. Sigmoid Colon Cancer SymptomsStatistics reveal that more than 5 percent of colon cancers worldwide are caused solely by genetic dysfunctions and physiologic abnormalities. Depending on their underlying cause, colon cancers can be either acquired (sporadic colon cancers), or genetically-inherited.

Most cases of colon cancer occur due to formation of polyps in different regions of the large bowel (colon). Colonic polyps are prominent soft tissues that can easily become malignant. There are many different types of hereditary colon cancers and many of them are primarily caused by colonic polyps. The most common types of genetically-inherited colon cancers are adenomatous polyposis and Gardner’s syndrome. Non-polyposis colon cancer is also common among hereditary forms of the disease. Unlike other types of genetically-inherited colon cancers, non-polyposis colon cancer doesn’t always involve the formation of polyps. Uncommon forms of hereditary colon cancer are Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and juvenile polyposis.

There are several choices for colon cancer screening that one can choose from. Flexible sigmoidoscopy, FOBT, a combination between those two, colonoscopy or barium enema are the screening options for colon cancer. As you can imagine, all these options have their advantages and disadvantages. These can differ from a colon patient to another. There are some factors that have to be taken into consideration when a colon cancer patient chooses one of these strategies:

- the preference of the colon cancer patient;

- medical contraindications;

- adherence;

- the resources that are available for testing;

The clinic where the patient goes to do the screening for colon cancer should also talk to people about benefits and also about the risk that the colon cancer patient must face in each of these options that are available to him.