A diagnosis of colon cancer can bring with it a number of emotions. When first learning that one has colon cancer, the person may fear the worst. What happens after that initial response can depend on the stage of one's cancer.
If the cancer is detected sufficiently early it can usually be removed during a colonoscopy with no need for further surgical intervention or adjuvant treatments such as chemotherapy. In those cases usually all that is required after that may be careful monitoring in case the cancer recurs. If the cancer has formed a tumor that is too large to be removed during a colonoscopy, surgical interventional will be necessary. The procedure can sometimes be performed laparoscopically which means that the recovery period will be significantly shorter and that there will be minimal scarring. If is surgery is not performed laparoscopically recovery will take longer and there will be a significant scar. Generally, however, adjuvant treatment is still not going to be needed at this stage.
Early-stage colon cancer is normally characterized as stage I or stage II which have a five year survival rate above 80 percent. When people realize that their cancer is early-stage they may experience a sense of relief. They may decide to make changes to their lifestyle such as eating less meat, taking supplements, exercising more regularly, and so forth. But their overall outlook on life may remain fairly unchanged.
A greater emotional reaction might be experienced if there is a diagnosis of advanced stage colon cancer.
A diagnosis of stage III colon cancer means the cancer has spread to one or more lymph nodes. Once the cancer reaches this stage the prognosis changes considerably. At this stage the five-year survival rate is generally somewhere between 50 and 60 percent. Learning that one's cancer has reached this stage may compound any initial fear. Long-term survival may no longer appear as certain. After the initial shock of hearing the news, often while one is still in the hospital recovering from surgery, a dual set of emotions may come to the forefront. The first is generally a concern about one's family. People will sometimes try to quickly put their affairs in order in case the worst happens. The second is a sense of resolve to fight the cancer and to do everything possible to survive.
At this stage chemotherapy is generally recommended to give the patient the best hope of removing any cancer cells that may still be in their body. Given the benefits of chemotherapy most people choose to undergo the treatment. Although many people are able to tolerate the drugs used to fight colon cancer some have adverse reactions to them. Either way, it can be a difficult time both physically and emotionally.
People who have been diagnosed with stage III colon cancer and beat it may experience a change in perspective. They may develop a sense of gratitude in their lives. A survivor may maintain both a short-term and a long-term perspective. For at least the first five years, the person may live from one follow-up examination and test to the next one. After that period of time the person may begin to finally worry less but may continue to live life as though they might receive the news that the cancer is back at any time while simultaneously planning for their long-term future.
Finally, there is the diagnosis of stage IV colon cancer. By this stage the cancer has spread to other organs, often the liver. The likelihood of surviving for five years or longer, even with treatment, is now greatly reduced. The five-year survival rate for this stage of the cancer is below 10 percent. After going through the fear, the anger, the denial and the sense that one's own body has betrayed him or her, the person diagnosed with this stage of cancer may eventually reach a level of acceptance. They may do everything they can to protect their families future, to spend quality time with those they love, and to find meaning in life.
An attorney helping a victim and his or her family against a doctor for a delay in the diagnosis of cancer should be sensitive to the emotions and concerns of the victim and of the victim's family. They deserve to be treated with compassion and with respect. They deserve an attorney who can be of benefit in ways that go beyond simply obtaining a recovery.
Source by Joseph A Hernandez
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