Surgical Services

Making Surgery Easier for Colon Cancer Patients

You may not think it is important to learn more about colon cancer treatment. However, the fact is that colon cancer touches the lives of many Americans and their families. This year, according to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 150,000 individuals will be diagnosed with colon cancer. After lung cancer, it is the second leading cancer killer in the United States. So, why not be more informed?

If an individual is diagnosed with colon cancer, many cases can be treated with surgery. Historically, open surgery was the primary patient option. This option usually involves an incision up to twelve inches long, a week in the hospital, an involved healing process and a recovery that takes six to eight weeks. Laparoscopic surgery offers an alternative.

You may have heard about laparoscopic surgery. You may have even undergone a laparoscopic procedure in the past. Maybe you had your appendix or gallbladder removed. If you are a woman, maybe a laparoscopic procedure helped you to treat endometriosis. There are a variety of medical areas utilizing the advantages of laparoscopic surgery. However, up until recently, this technique had not been used to treat colon cancer. This is changing and The Miriam Hospital is at the forefront.

Laparoscopic colon cancer surgery is performed with the assistance of a video camera and several thin instruments. During the surgical procedure, the surgeon makes a series of small incisions in the abdomen. A small camera is placed in one of the incisions, allowing the surgeon a magnified view of the surgical site on a television monitor. Surgical instruments are then introduced through the other small incisions and portions of the colon are removed. This procedure allows access to the surgical site of a patient without ever actually having to open them up.

The laparoscopic approach offers patients many benefits over traditional surgery. Most importantly, it offers individuals minimal disruption to their daily lives. There is less recovery time, minimal scarring and less pain, which results in the diminished need for pain medication, all allowing you to get back to your life more quickly. Today, this procedure is being performed by Jorge Lagares, MD, at The Miriam Hospital.

Colorectal cancer usually affects people who are 50 years of age or older. Regular colorectal cancer screenings can cut colon cancer death by a third or more. Always practice preventive medicine. It is the best way to proactively keep you and your family healthy.

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