What is colon cancer?
To understand colon cancer, it helps to know what the colon does. Your colon is part of your large intestine, which is part of your digestive system. Your digestive system breaks down the food you eat so your body can use it.
Colon cancer starts when cells in your colon begin to grow abnormally. Often, it begins with small growths called polyps that form inside your colon. Over time, some polyps can turn into cancer.
What are the stages of colon cancer?
Doctors use cancer stages to describe how far cancer has spread in your body. They include:
Stage 0
Cancer cells are only found in the innermost layer of the colon
Stage 1
Cancer cells spread past the inner layer into the next layers of the colon wall
Stage 2
Cancer has spread to or past the outermost layer of the colon
Stage 3
Cancer has spread from the colon wall to nearby lymph nodes. TECENTRIQ + chemotherapy is used to treat stage 3 dMMR colon cancer after surgery
Stage 4
Cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the liver or lungs
Cancer cells are only found in the innermost layer of the colon
Cancer cells spread past the inner layer into the next layers of the colon wall
Cancer has spread to or past the outermost layer of the colon
Cancer has spread from the colon wall to nearby lymph nodes.
TECENTRIQ + chemotherapy is used to treat stage 3 dMMR colon cancer after surgery
Cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the liver or lungs
What are some symptoms of colon cancer?
Colon cancer symptoms can vary from person to person, but common symptoms may include:
- Changes in bathroom habits, such as frequent diarrhea or constipation
- Rectal bleeding or blood in the stool
- Belly area discomfort, such as cramps, gas, or pain
- Feeling like you haven’t completely emptied your bowels when you go to the bathroom
- Weakness or tiredness
- Weight loss without trying
Experiencing these symptoms does not necessarily mean you have colon cancer. But if you have any of these symptoms, it is important to talk to your healthcare team. Your healthcare team will have the knowledge and tools needed for a proper diagnosis.
What is dMMR colon cancer, and what does it mean for treatment?
Some patients with colon cancer have a biomarker called dMMR. This stands for deficient mismatch repair.
A biomarker is something doctors can find in your blood, body fluids, or tissues that shows whether something normal or abnormal is happening in your body—or that you have a certain condition or disease.
Understanding the dMMR biomarker
dMMR means that a certain part of your cells—the part that usually fixes mistakes in DNA—isn't working the way it should. When your healthcare team knows your tumor has dMMR, they can better predict how likely a specific treatment will work for you. They'll use this to create the best treatment plan for your situation.
Your doctor will do a test when you are diagnosed to check for different types of biomarkers.
Your biomarker results help your doctor create a personalized treatment plan.
How can colon cancer be treated?
Your treatment plan may include surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation, or a combination of these.
Your healthcare team may recommend additional treatment after surgery. This doesn't mean your surgery wasn't successful. Even after surgery removes the cancer, it can sometimes come back. That's why your doctor may give you extra treatment after surgery, which is called adjuvant treatment. This extra treatment can help lower the chances of cancer returning.
Colon cancer can return in 1 in 3 patients after surgery.
One type of immunotherapy is TECENTRIQ. If you have stage 3 colon cancer, had surgery, and tested positive for the dMMR biomarker, TECENTRIQ may be an option for you. There are 2 parts of treatment with TECENTRIQ:
Your doctor will know if TECENTRIQ is right for you.
Find questions to ask your doctor and tips for getting the most out of appointments.