Adenocarcinoma of the intestine: stages, treatment, operation, prognosis

Oncology now already refers to the most frequent diseases. Cancer can manifest in absolutely any human body. The danger of cancer is that it is almost impossible to detect them at an early stage. If this happens, then in very rare cases. Symptoms appear already in the late periods, when treatment and recovery is difficult, and sometimes useless.

Adenocarcinoma of the intestine is one of the most common types of malignant growth that occurs in the large and small intestine. A formed such a defect of glandular cells, mucous membranes. As this tumor develops, the muscular and serous layers are affected. Moreover, such a neoplasm can germinate even through the intestinal membrane.

How does intestinal cancer develop?

People with a 50-year-old age are most affected by glandular cancer. As for the severity of the disease and further prognosis, they directly depend on how much the intestinal wall was affected.

Adenocarcinoma of the intestine affects, as a rule, not only the thick but also the small intestine. But in overwhelming majority this kind of a cancer is shown nevertheless in a thick gut. At the same time in women, the disease is on the 4th place in the frequency of development from all possible types of cancer.

Kinds

Adenocarcinoma differs in the degree of its change into the following subspecies:

• Highly differentiated;

• Moderately differentiated;

• Low-differentiated.

It is worth emphasizing that the low-grade adenocarcinoma of the intestine proceeds most difficultly. Such a tumor can choose the place of dislocation in any part of the intestine, but most often it is detected in the rectum.

As for the small intestine, in this case the tumor is detected much less often. If in general to divide all cases of occurrence of such pathology, the duodenum is affected in half of cases. If you compare men and women, then a stronger sex is more prone to this ailment. In the overwhelming majority of such a defect is detected at the age of 50 and up to 60 years.

Stages of

With regard to the staged development of this disease, the entire period is divided into such intervals:

• The first stage affects only the mucosa;

• In the second stage, all layers of the organ are affected;

• At the third stage, lymph nodes are already involved in such a defective process;

• And at the fourth stage foci of metastases begin to appear, this stage is the most dangerous for a person.

In the disease of adenocarcinoma of the intestine, the stages are determined by the TNM system, which reveals the size of the tumor, how much the lymph nodes and the presence of foci of metastasis were affected.

How does this disease manifest itself?

Unfortunately, adenocarcinoma of the intestine is a very dangerous disease, which, developing, practically does not betray itself. As a rule, such a defect is formed against a background of chronic inflammation of the large intestine, and therefore a person takes his manifestation for aggravation of his illness. In the vast majority of adenocarcenoma makes itself felt in the case when metastases have already appeared.

As for the early signs, they can include the following:

• Problems with regular stools;

• Blood admixtures in feces;

• Mucous discharge with fragments of blood at the beginning of defecation;

• If the disease progresses, then the person has acute or dull pain in the intestine;

• With time, the pain becomes more pronounced;

• At the last stage, intestinal bleeding may develop, anemia develops and general intoxication of the whole organism occurs.

This is the manifestation of adenocarcinoma of the large intestine. The outlook is often disappointing.

The more this disease attacks, the more a person begins to get tired, such weakness appears due to cancer intoxication. A violation of normal digestion of food leads to the fact that a person begins to lose weight sharply.

The more this disease progresses, the more side symptoms appear in a person, at the last stage the body temperature can rise to 38 degrees. The form of feces is also highly modified, and constipation alternates with diarrhea and have a strong fetid odor.

Often the patient begins to feel that he has not completely emptied his intestines. As a result, there is a convulsive contraction of the muscles, and there are false desires for the allocation of feces. In addition, a person can go to the toilet up to 20 times a day with the mandatory allocation of mucus and blood. This is dangerous adenocarcinoma of the intestine.

When metastases appear in the gallbladder and in the liver, visually the person begins to observe the manifestation of jaundice. And in case the tumor grows too much, it can block the lumen of the intestine, as a result of defecation, and the pain sensation only increases in the stomach, and symptoms are added in the form of nausea and vomiting.

As you know, one of the main functions of the colon is the accumulation and retention of feces that affect the tumor, as a result of which it ulcerates. If such a state begins to develop, then the impurities of purulent secretions and blood will also be added to the calves.

What factors provoke the onset of this disease?

Adenocarcinoma of the large intestine may appear due to various factors. Specialists have identified and identified the following reasons, which can provoke the development of this defect, namely:

• Presence of polyps in the intestine;

• ulcerative colitis;

• duodenal ulcer;

• Chronic constipation;

• Papillomavirus disease.

It is worth noting that cancer can degenerate from benign tumors. And the defeat of this defect of the duodenum is primarily due to the fact that it is affected by bile and pancreatic juice.

In addition, intestinal adenocarcinoma (treatment will be discussed below) can be triggered by the following factors:

• Malnutrition;

• The use of alcoholic beverages;

• smoking;

• Regularly received stress;

• Hereditary predisposition.

It should also be emphasized that in some cases it is possible to manifest two malignant tumors at once - cancer of the thick and small intestine.

Adenocarcinoma of the large intestine most often appears in those people who do not comply with the diet or suffer from fistulas in the anus. It is also worth noting that it often provokes the development of this disease and the use of chemicals in work and in domestic life.

Symptoms for detecting a defect

Adenocarcinoma can manifest itself with the following symptoms. If the cancer is manifested in the small intestine, the symptoms will be as follows:

• Stably manifested pain in the upper abdomen;

• Alternation of constipation with liquid feces;

• flatulence;

• Nausea and vomiting;

• Sharp weight loss.

As adenocarcinoma of the intestine (stages 3 and 4) will expand, a person may show signs of intoxication of the body. And such a symptom, as loss of appetite or complete refusal of food, will become the norm. If the case is complicated enough, bleeding may occur. When the fourth stage of this defect occurs, a cancerous tumor affects all neighboring human organs.

With adenocarcinoma ulcers can develop on the wall of the small intestine, such neoplasms can trigger the discovery of bleeding.

As for adenocarcinoma of the colon, there are several distinctive features, namely:

• Pain is located in the lower abdomen;

• The appetite is completely absent;

• In the stool there is a large amount of mucus and fragments of blood;

• Sometimes in fecal masses it is possible to detect purulent discharge.

If the right walls of the intestine were affected, then bleeding occurs secretly. And if the tumor is located in the left part, then there will be dark red blood in the stool. And as for one of the most common signs of such a disease, it is a false urge to empty the intestines.

If a person has at least one of the above signs, it is a signal to immediately seek help. Do not risk your own life and ignore such signs.

Important: if a person develops a highly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the intestine, then the most frequent complaint is bleeding from the anus.

Diagnosis of colon adenocarcinoma

A diagnosis like colon cancer is established based on the following manipulations:

• Complaints of the patient;

• The collected anamnesis;

• Visual inspection;

• Examination of the rectum by palpation;

• Instrumental examination.

As a rule, more than 70% of all cancers of the large intestine are located in the lower intestine, so they can be detected using the method of palpation or sigmoidoscopy. If the location of the dislocation is high, then the specialist uses a colonoscopy. And in order to perform the sampling of material for histological examination, the doctor resorts to a colonoscopy, which helps to select the sample.

To assess the size and shape of the tumor, use a radiocontrast study of the colon. And ultrasound is used to detect metastases. Also this method is shown in the case if endoscopy can not be carried out.

In addition to the above methods, the patient must pass the following tests:

• Analysis of feces for occult blood ;

• Biochemical analysis;

• General tests for blood and urine.

When the attending physician has all the results of the examinations on hand, only then he will be able to establish an accurate diagnosis.

Adenocarcinoma of the small intestine: diagnosis

The most important role in the diagnosis of this new growth is played by the following types of examination, namely:

• X-ray examination;

• Probe enterography;

• Examination of the passage of the contrast element;

• Irrirography;

• ultrasound;

• CT scan;

• Selective antigraphy.

With regard to such techniques as enteroscopy and colonoscopy, in this case, with the help of the first technique, only the initial section of the intestine can be inspected in detail, and with the help of the second method, the thermal department.

Also, if a suspected defect is suspected, blood and urine tests are prescribed. In some cases, a specialist may prescribe an additional examination, depending on the degree of involvement of the small intestine.

How is the treatment tactic chosen and what are the predictions for the patient?

It is possible to get rid of this kind of neoplasms only by resorting to surgical intervention. But before carrying out such a procedure, the patient must undergo a complete examination.

If the cancer was found in the small intestine, then a wide resection is performed. With cancer of the duodenum, it is recommended that it be completely removed. And if there is an additional need, they can perform a stomach resection.

Often this surgery is combined with chemotherapy. And with cancer of an inoperable form, chemotherapy is the only chance for a person. During the surgical intervention at the 1 st and 2 nd stage, the five-year survival threshold overcomes 40% of the patients.

If you are diagnosed with colon cancer, then surgical intervention is also prescribed. In this case, if the tumor is low, then a colostomy is formed. This makes it possible to prolong a person's life.

If the rectum was diagnosed once, then irradiation before and after surgery is necessary. This technique allows you to achieve the maximum result.

With regard to adenocarcenoma of the colon at the first stage, the five-year survival threshold overcomes 90% of all patients. In the second stage, such results are reduced to 80%. And with the detection of the third and fourth stage, the five-year threshold is overcome by only half of all patients.

Unfortunately, due to the prolonged and inconspicuous development of this disease, most people die, because such a defect is diagnosed at the stage when medicine can not help much.

Preventive measures

How can I prevent intestinal cancer? Adenocarcinoma occurs for the following reasons:

• Colorectal polyps;

• Inflammatory processes developing in the gut;

• Insufficient amount of plant fiber consumed;

• Problems with regular stools;

• Old age.

If you carefully monitor your health and find out in time, and also get rid of all the above problems, then a person will be able to prevent the development of this ailment. It is very important to monitor your own nutrition and minimize the consumption of fatty and spicy food.

As for people of advanced age, then, as indicated above, they are most susceptible to such ailment, so do not avoid regular examination with the coloproctologist. Do not ignore this specialist, because it is he who can save your life. Then in the early stages can be detected adenocarcinoma of the intestine. The prognosis after the operation will be good.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, a medicine that can completely defeat cancer does not yet exist. Modern medicine has methods and drugs that are effective only at the initial stages. But when such a disease is diagnosed at a late stage, the chances are small. That is why this problem should be given time, because the timely detection of cancer gives a great chance that a person will cope with the disease and will be able to continue living. More often it is necessary to give your body attention and conscientiously undergo an annual examination.

We examined the disease of adenocarcinoma of the intestine, the prognosis is described.