I am 44, male. How can I manage my colorectal cancer?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 44-year-old father of two young kids, and I was just diagnosed with colorectal cancer. From what I understand, getting it at my age is considered young for this type of cancer. I am really worried and have a lot of questions.

What stage is my cancer, and what are the chances of successful treatment at this stage? Will I need surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination? I have read that the location of the tumor matters for treatment, too.

I am also concerned about the long-term consequences. Even if treatment goes well, what are the chances the cancer could return down the road? Will I be able to continue working and be an active dad during treatment?

Kindly suggest.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

Colorectal cancer in your age group is considered uncommon. This cancer, occurring before the age of 50, may have some link with genetic mutation or inherited gene mutation. The stage of the cancer is unknown.

In your case, as you have not attached CT (computed tomography) or CECT (contrast-enhanced computed tomography) scan and colonoscopy reports, I need to know whether it is rectal or colon cancer and which part of the colon is affected. Treatment of stage 1 to stage 3 in colon cancer is radical surgery, and the cure rate is high, while in rectal cancer, many patients need radiotherapy first. However, the treatment depends on the stage and type of the tumor and the molecular profile.

The chances of cancer recurrence after successful treatment depend upon stage, tumor biology, pathology, and molecular profile reports. Right-sided tumors are usually resistant to many chemotherapies, and targeted therapy drugs are aggressive in some cases. Overall, from stages 1 and 2 with favorable histopathology, the cure rate is more than 80 percent, while for stage 3, it is more than 50 percent.

I hope you find this helpful.