Colon cancer affects the colon, which is the largest part of the large intestine. It occurs when the healthy cells in the inner walls of the colon undergo mutations and start dividing arbitrarily. This leads to new cells that are not needed by the body, hence forming tumors. Medical professionals are up to date about the stages and treatments for colon cancer, which are interdependent as higher stages of cancer require more intensive treatment.

Prevention techniques
The best chance of preventing colon cancer is to detect it early and receive treatment. Tests such as sigmoidoscopy, stool test, colonoscopy, and removal of precancerous polyps give one a better fighting chance against this deadly disease. Some of the preventive measures are:

• Taking about 1mg of folic acid daily.
• Include vegetables and fruits in your diet.
• Taking aspirin daily. This could have many side effects and should be done only after consulting a doctor.
• Cease your smoking habit. Smokers are more likely to get colon cancer, so you should quit this unhealthy habit.
• Getting daily exercise.
• People above 50 years of age, especially those with a family history of colon cancer should regularly get screened for the disease.

Colon cancer stage-wise treatment procedures
Stages and treatments for colon cancer are entirely dependent on one another. The doctor selects the treatment procedure based on the stage of cancer. Higher stages require more intensive therapy. Let us take a look at how treatment procedures vary stage wise:

Stage 1
In the early stage, surgical procedure is preferred. In this process, the area of the colon affected by cancer is removed through surgery. In some cases, parts of the surrounding tissue may also be removed.

Stage 2
At this stage, there are higher chances of cancer recurring. Hence, chemotherapy is often chosen by doctors as the treatment procedure during the second stage.

Stage 3
At this stage, cancer spreads to the lymph nodes surrounding the colon. Even after a surgical procedure involving the removal of the tissues visibly affected by cancer, cancer may return. Some of the cancer cells might have spread elsewhere before the surgery. Some cells are so tiny that they cannot be detected by blood tests or other scans. Thus, at this stage, doctors recommend using chemotherapy to ensure that the cancer cells do not return. Chemotherapy medicines are often used to eliminate cancer cells before the operation

Stage 4
In the final stage, colon cancer spreads to other organs such as the liver, brain, kidney, etc. New tumors are created in these organs. At this stage, chemotherapy is the recommended treatment. Although it comes with its side effects, it is better than living with cancer. This is how the stages and treatments for colon cancer are related to each other.

You can reduce the chances of colon cancer by making small changes to your lifestyle and diet. If detected at an early stage, one can expect to be fully cured through surgery or other treatment procedures.