what is colorectal cancer | Colon cancer (colon carcinoma)

Colon cancer (colon carcinoma)






Colon carcinoma (synonyms: adenocarcinoma of the colon, CRC, colon carcinoma, colorectal carcinoma, colorectal carcinoma, colorectal carcinoma, colorectal carcinoma, colorectal carcinoma, KRC, CRC, colon carcinoma, colorectal carcinoma, rectal carcinoma, rectal carcinoma, colorectal carcinoma (CRC), ICD) 10 C18.-: Malignant neoplasm of the colon) is a malignant (malignant) neoplasm of the colon or rectum (= colorectal carcinoma), which is almost always an adenocarcinoma. Cancer of the small intestine, however, occur only very rarely.

It is the third most common malignant disease worldwide.

Colon carcinoma is the third most common cancer among men in Germany and the second most common cancer in women.
It is the second most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death.

Incidence peak: The disease occurs predominantly after the age of 50 (90%), rarely even before the age of 40. The disease peak is 65 years.

Every year, around 61,000 people in Germany develop colon cancer.

The incidence (incidence of new cases) in Europe varies between 20 diseases per 100,000 inhabitants per year (in Greece) and 40 diseases per 100,000 inhabitants per year (in Germany). In terms of incidence in Europe, Germany ranks first for women and fourth for men.

Course and prognosis: The colon carcinoma (colon cancer) develops slowly over years to decades, whereby the affected one at first no symptoms or complaints feels. Adenomas (benign gland-forming tumors of the large intestine or rectum mucosa) or polyps (pedunculated protrusions of the mucosa, ie the mucous membrane) are formed first. Adenomas are not yet a carcinoma (cancer), but are considered as a precursor to colon cancer and as a serious warning sign, since they can develop into malignant tumors. The adenoma peak occurs about 10 years before the onset of a carcinoma. As the size of the adenoma increases, so does the risk of developing invasive carcinoma. By a colonoscopy (colonoscopy) adenomas can be detected in time and at the same time removed.
Colon carcinoma occurs recurrently. The later a colon cancer is detected, the greater the risk of recurrence. The probability of a local recurrence (recurrence of a tumor in the same area) is 10-30%, so that after the end of therapy a regular follow-up care is significant.

The lethality (mortality based on the total number of people with the disease) is up to 50%.

The 5-year survival rate is about 90-95% for stage I and II. In stage III it is still 65%, in stage IV only 5%.