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Colon Cancer

Laura B Bishop, M.D. Reviewed 06/2022
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Colon and rectal cancers (CRC) are often grouped together but are two distinct clinical entities that differ in their prognosis, presentation, staging and management.

  • CRC is the secon...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Most patients with colon cancer are asymptomatic.

  • Microcytic, iron-deficiency anemia in men of any age and postmenopausal women is CRC until proven otherwise; diagnostic colonoscopy.

  • Sy...

TREATMENT

ADDITIONAL THERAPIES

Adjuvant chemotherapy is most clearly beneficial for stage III (node-positive) disease, in which improvements of 30% can be achieved in both disease recurrence and overal...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

  • Risk of recurrence is greatest in first 4 years; 80% in first 2.5

  • H&P and CEA every 3 to 6 months for 5 years.

  • Annual CT of chest, abdomen, pe...

REFERENCE

1
Gupta S, Lieberman D, Anderson JC, et al. Recommendations for follow-up after colonoscopy and polypectomy: a consensus update by the US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer. Gastro...

CODES

ICD10

  • C18.9 Malignant neoplasm of colon, unspecified

  • C18.2 Malignant neoplasm of ascending colon

  • C18.8 Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of colon

  • C18.7 Malignant neoplasm of sigmoid colon

  • C18.6...

CLINICAL PEARLS

Microcytic, iron deficiency anemia in men and postmenopausal women is CRC until proven otherwise and colonoscopy should be performed. 

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