Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypes of RecurrenceSurvival StatisticsSymptomsTreatmentCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types of Recurrence
Survival Statistics
Symptoms
Treatment
Coping
After thediagnosisand successful treatment ofcolon cancer, it is completely normal to be bombarded with thoughts of recurrence. At times, every twinge, irregular bowel movement, or jolt of pain may serve as a reminder of the disease and its possible reemergence.
Verywell / Laura Porter
While the successful treatment of colon cancer may eradicate all traces of the disease, there are no guarantees that the results will be lasting. When your tests show a complete absence of cancer cells after treatment, you are said to be in completeremission.
Remission is a term used to describe an absence of detectable cancer cells in your body. When there is certainty that the cancer will not come back—generally after five or more years in complete remission—your healthcare provider may then say you are “cured.”
When cancer recurs, there is a chance it was never completely removed or it had already spread to distant sites and went undetected on screening tests like a PET scan. When this happens, the pattern of cancer recurrence may be described in one of three ways:
Here is the thing to remember about cancer and survival statistics: Most of the numbers do not take into account the variable factors, such as treatment modalities or thestage of cancer, that impact your survival rate.
In recent years, researchers have been taking a closer look at how the cancer stage impacts recurrence rates. What they have found, not surprisingly, is that the more advanced the initial cancer is, the greater the risk of relapse.
Approximately 30–40% of patients develop recurrence following surgery and 40–50% of recurrences are apparent within the first few years after initial surgical resection.A study from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center reported that, among 1,320 people withmetastatic colon cancer, 243 (18%) experienced recurrence. Factors for recurrence included the location of the primary tumor, the number of lymph nodes affected, and the person’s age.
Further supporting these finding are statistical analyses of the five-year survival rates among people with colon cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, the percentage of people who are likely to survive forat leastfive years following diagnosis depends on the cancer stage:
After a person is successfully treated for cancer, follow-up appointments may be as frequent as every three months. This is because 60% to 80% of colorectal cancer recurrences develop within two years of the primary malignancy.
The treatment options available depend on the type of recurrence (local, regional, or distant). If the cancer recurrence is localized, the healthcare provider may suggest a surgical resection, which includes removing the portion of the bowel that contains cancer.
If the cancer is distant or metastatic, the healthcare provider may suggest surgery of the metastatic sites along with radiation therapy andchemotherapy. Your surgeon and oncologist will work with you to present the best treatment options based on the stage of your cancer and your personal health and risk factors.
According to a study published inAnnals of Surgical Treatment and Research,the liver was the most common site of early recurrence (40.5%), while the most common sites of later recurrence were the lungs (32.8%) or local area (28.1%).
Fear of recurrence is a strong motivator for many colon cancer survivors. It can stimulate healthier lifestyle choices, changes in diet, and the decision to undergo regular screening tests, such as acolonoscopyorvirtual colonoscopy(performed with a computed tomography scan). However, this fear can sometimes feel overwhelming and preoccupy your every thought if you let it.
As tough as it may seem, there are things you can do to help you cope:
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Cancer Institute.Understanding cancer prognosis.American Cancer Society.What Is cancer recurrence?Walker AS, Johnson EK, Maykel JA, et al.Future directions for the early detection of colorectal cancer recurrence.J Cancer. 2014;5(4):272-280. doi:10.7150/jca.8871American Cancer Society.Survival rates for colorectal cancer.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer.Ryuk JP, Choi G-S, Park JS, et al.Predictive factors and the prognosis of recurrence of colorectal cancer within 2 years after curative resection.Annals of Surgical Treatment and Research. 2014;86(3):143-151. doi:10.4174/astr.2014.86.3.143Ryuk JP, Choi GS, Park JS, et al.Predictive factors and the prognosis of recurrence of colorectal cancer within 2 years after curative resection.Ann Surg Treat Res. 2014;86(3):143-151. doi:10.4174/astr.2014.86.3.143
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Cancer Institute.Understanding cancer prognosis.American Cancer Society.What Is cancer recurrence?Walker AS, Johnson EK, Maykel JA, et al.Future directions for the early detection of colorectal cancer recurrence.J Cancer. 2014;5(4):272-280. doi:10.7150/jca.8871American Cancer Society.Survival rates for colorectal cancer.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer.Ryuk JP, Choi G-S, Park JS, et al.Predictive factors and the prognosis of recurrence of colorectal cancer within 2 years after curative resection.Annals of Surgical Treatment and Research. 2014;86(3):143-151. doi:10.4174/astr.2014.86.3.143Ryuk JP, Choi GS, Park JS, et al.Predictive factors and the prognosis of recurrence of colorectal cancer within 2 years after curative resection.Ann Surg Treat Res. 2014;86(3):143-151. doi:10.4174/astr.2014.86.3.143
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Cancer Institute.Understanding cancer prognosis.American Cancer Society.What Is cancer recurrence?Walker AS, Johnson EK, Maykel JA, et al.Future directions for the early detection of colorectal cancer recurrence.J Cancer. 2014;5(4):272-280. doi:10.7150/jca.8871American Cancer Society.Survival rates for colorectal cancer.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer.Ryuk JP, Choi G-S, Park JS, et al.Predictive factors and the prognosis of recurrence of colorectal cancer within 2 years after curative resection.Annals of Surgical Treatment and Research. 2014;86(3):143-151. doi:10.4174/astr.2014.86.3.143Ryuk JP, Choi GS, Park JS, et al.Predictive factors and the prognosis of recurrence of colorectal cancer within 2 years after curative resection.Ann Surg Treat Res. 2014;86(3):143-151. doi:10.4174/astr.2014.86.3.143
National Cancer Institute.Understanding cancer prognosis.
American Cancer Society.What Is cancer recurrence?
Walker AS, Johnson EK, Maykel JA, et al.Future directions for the early detection of colorectal cancer recurrence.J Cancer. 2014;5(4):272-280. doi:10.7150/jca.8871
American Cancer Society.Survival rates for colorectal cancer.
American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer.
Ryuk JP, Choi G-S, Park JS, et al.Predictive factors and the prognosis of recurrence of colorectal cancer within 2 years after curative resection.Annals of Surgical Treatment and Research. 2014;86(3):143-151. doi:10.4174/astr.2014.86.3.143
Ryuk JP, Choi GS, Park JS, et al.Predictive factors and the prognosis of recurrence of colorectal cancer within 2 years after curative resection.Ann Surg Treat Res. 2014;86(3):143-151. doi:10.4174/astr.2014.86.3.143
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