Frequently Asked Questions About Carcinoma In Situ Colon

According to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Staging System, Stage 0 Colon Cancer is known as Carcinoma in situ colon. Lets cover some commonly asked questions about Carcinoma In Situ.

What is Carcinoma In Situ?

Carcinoma In Situ is the early stage of Carcinoma where the surrounding tissues are absent. 'In Suit' is the latin word which means 'in its place'. Carcinoma cancer can be found in any part of the body. It may be in the breast, large intestine or other body parts. Whereas, carcinoma colon is a type of a cancer found in large intestine.

What are the Stages of Colon Cancer?

Stage 0 also known as Carcinoma In Situ colon: In the innermost lining of colon wall, you will find tumor.

Stage I (Dukes A): The tumor reaches to the in innermost lining, which are the second and third layers of colon wall.

Stage II (Dukes B): The tumor expands within the colon wall.

Stage III (Dukes C): The tumor comes out, grows and spreads to lymph nodes.

Stage IV (Dukes D): In this stage, tumor spreads to other part of the body.

Recurrent Cancer: Even after treating, the cancer comes back.

Is Carcinoma In Situ really a cancer?

Due to Carcinoma In Situ (CIS) lesion, you may develop different types of cancer. Hence, Carcinoma In Situ is known as precursor or commonly known as 'cancer'. But doctors might not refer Carcinoma In Situ as cancer when they explain laboratory report to a patient. This is because most of the CIS have the potential to transform into invasive carcinoma. The treatment of Carcinoma In Situ is mostly treated as a malignant tumor.

What is the treatment of Carcinoma In Situ colon or Stage 0 colon cancer ?

Surgery is mostly recommended by surgeons to treat this condition. It includes following types of surgery:

The surgeons recommend local excision surgery when they want to cut colon cancer from abdominal wall.

To remove colon cancer from the bulging piece of tissue, doctors recommend for polypectomy surgery.

To remove a small part of the colon cancer and rejoin the ends of the colon that are cut, resection or anastomosis surgery is advised. This is recommended when the cancerous tissue is large and cant be removed even by local excision surgery.

In conclusion, the paramount fact is to have regular check ups so that colon cancer or Carcinoma In Situ colon can be diagnosed at the earliest. If your cancer is in its early stage, then it is easy and safe to treat. The early diagnosis will help you to get your cancer treated safely. So dont miss your check ups, be regular!