Colorectal CancerStephanie Rehe started playing tennis at age 7. By 13, she’d become the youngest person ever to be ranked. At 15,she went pro, playing in the U.S. Open and French Open and competing against top ranked players until a kneeinjury eventually forced her to retire.“Let’s go ahead, we’re going to bring the arms straight out in front no higher than the shoulders.”-Stephanie,PatientNow 48, Stephanie is a physical therapist and personal trainer. Her busy schedule doesn’t leave much time for sickdays, but recently she started having symptoms that she couldn’t ignore.“I wasn't feeling well for about a month or so and was having intermittent abdominal cramps. Then I ended upin urgent care with horrible diarrhea and vomiting. And they eventually sent me to the hospital for scans, andthey found an abnormality in my colon.”-Stephanie, PatientFurther tests revealed that Stephanie had colon cancer—which affects the lower part of the digestive system—thelarge intestine. When it also affects the last few inches of the colon, known as the rectum—it’s called colorectalcancer. Colon cancer usually begins as small growths called polyps, which can turn cancerous over time.“Cancer would show up as dark black spots in this.”Doctors use the results of imaging scans to learn the cancer stage.“The stage tells your doctor how advanced your cancer is, and whether it has spread to organs, such as theliver.”-Dr. Anton Bilchik, MD, Surgical OncologistColon cancer has four stages. Stage 1 has grown through the inner lining of the colon or rectum, but it hasn’t spreadoutside the colon wall. Stage 2 has grown through the wall of the colon, but it hasn’t reached the lymph nodes—bean-shaped glands that are part of your immune system. Stage 3 has spread to the lymph nodes, but it hasn’treached any other organs. And stage 4 has spread to other organs, like your liver or lungs.Which treatment you get depends on your stage. Stephanie’s cancer was diagnosed at stage 2. For early-stagecancers like hers, curative surgery is an option.“Early cancers can be removed by colonoscopy which is insertion of a flexible tube. Another surgical approach isthe use of laparoscopy or robotic surgery, which involves placement of tubes through very small incisions in thebelly.”- Dr. Anton Bilchik, MD, Surgical OncologistPage 1 of 2This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCON1001698 EN ColorectalCancer.pdf© The Wellness NetworkColorectal CancerIf the cancer is in the wall of your intestine, you may have a procedure known as a colectomy. The surgeon firstremoves the part of your colon that cancer has damaged. Then the healthy parts of your colon are reconnected,or the surgeon creates an opening in your belly called a colostomy to remove wastes.“Do you have any discomfort now?”“No.”About a week after her diagnosis, Stephanie had surgery.“They removed about a foot of my bowel, and the doctor also removed 28 lymph nodes, which I found outwere clear, so I was ecstatic that the cancer had not spread.”-Stephanie, PatientIf your cancer has spread to your lymph nodes or other organs, you may also need chemotherapy.“Chemotherapy is a kind of medicine that’s given in the bloodstream. It can be used either before surgery orafter surgery. Before surgery to shrink a tumor, to make it easier for the surgeon to remove or after surgeryto kill cancer cells that may not be seen or may be left behind.”- Dr. Anton Bilchik, MD, Surgical OncologistOther colon cancer treatments include radiation which uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and targetedtherapy.“Targeted therapy goes after specific proteins on cancer cells to block the cancer cells from growing andspreading, potentially destroying the cancer cell. Typically, targeted therapy is used for advanced coloncancer or stage 4 disease.”- Dr. Anton Bilchik, MD, Surgical OncologistImmunotherapy is a relatively new type of treatment.“The way immunotherapy works is to bolster the immune system, strengthen the immune system to try andfight, use your own immune cells to try and fight the cancer within your body.”- Dr. Anton Bilchik, MD,Surgical OncologistWith her treatment now behind her, Stephanie is focused on staying as healthy as possible.“I'm learning to decrease the stress in my life. I probably have not always eaten the best, and I'm reallyworking to have a better diet. I'm excited to go back to work and enjoy my life again.”-Stephanie, PatientPage 2 of 2This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCON1001698 EN ColorectalCancer.pdf© The Wellness Network
