Monday, 31 October 2016

Colon cancer's location may determine patient survival

A new report indicates that the area of the colon where cancer develops can affect a patient's rate of survival.  According to Dr. David Bernstein, chief of hepatology at Northwell Health, left-sided cancers (located near the anus, rectum, sigmoid colon and descending colon), "usually present with bleeding or partial obstruction [and] patients tend to seek medical care earlier."  On the other hand, right-sided colon cancers (near the intersection of the small intestine), "do not typically present with obstruction but tend to present with anemia [and] are more likely associated with metastatic disease, especially the liver."  As such, the survival rate is estimated to be 20% greater with left-sided vs. right-sided colon cancers.

To read more about this report, click here.

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