Stage 4 Colon Cancer
When cancer reaches the stage 4 diagnosis, it is beyond the localized staging of cancer and has gone through metastasis allowing the cancer to spread and progress in different areas of the body. It is important to know the statistics involved with stage 4 colon cancer to better understand which treatment options to pursue.
In the event of stage 4 colon cancer the overall 5-year survival rate is reported at 1.8% when chemotherapy is used as the primary form of treatment. This statistic comes from the research paper titled, The Contribution of Cytotoxic Chemotherapy to 5-year Survival in Adult Malignancies, published in Clinical Oncology. This works out to an average of only about 1 out of every 50 people surviving stage 4 colon cancer beyond 5 years. The 5-year survival rate is just that, “a survival rate,” it does not take into account people who continue to struggle with cancer or have had further progression of the disease, which will inevitably lead to failed treatment. It becomes clear that the current methods of treatment are ultimately ineffective.
One of the most frequent mistakes affecting stage 4 colon cancer patients is directly related to the use of standardized chemotherapy protocols. Standardized chemotherapy is based off clinical-trial data. In clinical-trials the amount of chemotherapy used is known as maximum-dose, it is the largest amount that can be given without killing the patient. This maximum-dose chemotherapy can be devastating to the body and especially the immune system.
In a normal healthy patient, the immune system knows how to kill cancerous and pre-cancerous cells. When a person develops cancer it is because the mutations of cancerous cells have become too rapid for the immune system to handle. In a stage 4 colon cancer patient, the immune system is weakened to a point where it can’t effectively attack the multiple tumors that have/are forming around the body. If the immune system isn’t functioning properly cancer will continue to return regardless of treatment. Fortunately, there are ways to combat these issues with traditional treatment and have better outcomes for stage 4 colon cancer patients.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy works to re-establish the patient’s own immune system to properly target and destroy cancer cells. Mainstream treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, negatively affect the immune system. Because of this, the need for immunotherapy is becoming more and more prevalent in cancer treatment. It represents a completely independent manner to killing cancer cells without the need for chemotherapy or radiation. Unfortunately, most patients never experience immunotherapy to its full potential. With the advent of immunotherapy smart drugs, knowing how to enhance and target cancer cells using the immune system has become more and more critical. It is important to enhance immunity correctly and start to shut down the cancer so it can’t return.
GTFC, Genetically Targeted Fractionated Chemotherapy
GTFC, or Genetically Targeted Fractionated Chemotherapy, is a new form of genetically targeted chemotherapy only offered at Envita. A high percentage of patients that are or will be prescribed chemotherapy will experience chemotherapy resistance, and for cancer patients the time spent on treatment that may not work could mean the difference between success and failure. GTFC’s goal is to remove the guesswork and the resistance that can occur with chemotherapy and to help achieve better results for patients. This is done through the science of biomarkers and molecular profiling: using detailed genetic information from a patient’s cancer cells to guide better treatment. GTFC is considered by our doctors to many times be a viable option for patients and after years of seeing cancer patients fail with conventional chemotherapy.
Envita has made it our mission to provide patients with technology that has been developed in-house from over 15 years of personalized integrative medicine. Our doctors provide patients with a true second opinion, and discuss all of the options that are available; our motto is to leave no stone unturned for our patients. With the many tools at your fingertips, we have seen the birth of a new form of not only medicine, but a new philosophy of treatment, all of which can lead to a better way forward for colon cancer patients.
With proper education, patients can finally understand why they have seen failed attempts at cancer treatment in their lives and/or the lives of loved ones. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us, we are here to help.
