As of: March 13, 2024, 5:00 p.m
By: Andreas Beez
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Munich's chief doctors provide encouraging figures in the fight against colon cancer.
Here they quantify the chances of recovery depending on the stage of the disease.
In Germany alone, more than 61,000 people are diagnosed with colon cancer - and around 23,500 patients lose the battle against the common tumor disease.
Most of those affected are over 55 years old and have a family history - this means: their father, mother or siblings have already had colon cancer.
Regular check-ups are particularly important for these people.
Two specialists from the Red Cross Hospital in Munich point this out.
Chief physicians: Colon cancer is almost always curable in its early stages
Colon cancer specialist: Dr.
Volker Penndorf is a specialist in internal medicine and gastroenterology and chief physician at the Red Cross Hospital in Munich.
© Sylvia Willax/Red Cross Hospital
Professor Wolfgang E. Thasler and Dr.
Volker Penndorf has encouraging news: “Colon cancer, detected at an early stage, is almost always curable.
The preventive examination, which is offered free of charge from the age of 50, can be life-saving.”
Professor Thasler: Even with smaller tumors without lymph node involvement, there is up to a 90 percent chance of recovery
Experienced surgeon and colon cancer operator: Professor Wolfgang Thasler from the Munich Red Cross Clinic © Sylvia Willax/Rotkreuzklinikum
Prof. Thasler, a specialist in surgical oncology and head of the colon cancer center at the Red Cross Hospital, assures that in small tumors without lymph node involvement, a cure can be expected in 85 to 90 percent of cases.
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Remarkable successes even in the advanced stage of colon cancer with lymph node involvement
In the case of larger tumors with lymph node involvement, up to 60 percent of cases can still be cured if chemotherapy is also carried out.
“Through gentle, minimally invasive oncological surgery in conjunction with medication and/or radiation, significant improvement can often be achieved – even in older patients,” says the surgeon.
The progress of medicine in the fight against colon cancer is also reflected in the statistics: While in 1971 the average survival time for patients was seven months, today it is already ten years.
Preventive colonoscopy offers a huge opportunity to detect precancerous lesions
Colon cancer specialists provide information about treatment options
On Monday, March 18, 2024, the colon cancer specialists at the Red Cross Hospital will provide information about the treatment options for the tumor disease.
The lecture from the “Health Information Meeting” series is aimed at interested citizens and is free of charge.
Registration is not required.
The lectures in the sisterhood's auditorium at Rotkreuzplatz 8 take place in random order and provide information about common illnesses, their development and their forms of treatment.
Women aged 55 and over and men aged 50 and over should have a colonoscopy.
This examination is carried out under gentle anesthesia and is therefore painless.
Before the examination, patients must clean their intestines thoroughly.
To do this, they have to drink special liquids.
The recipe has been improved in recent years, so that this preparation for the colonoscopy now requires even less effort than in earlier times.
Polyps can be removed immediately during the painless examination
Encouragement: Doctors from the Munich Red Cross Hospital advise a patient on treatment options for colon cancer.
© Rotkreuzklinikum München/Sylvia Willax
During the examination itself, the doctor inserts the colonoscope, a flexible plastic tube, through the anus into the large intestine.
The colonoscope is equipped with a camera that transmits images of the inside of the intestine to a monitor.
The doctor carefully examines the intestines for signs of polyps, inflammation or other abnormalities.
He can take tissue samples (biopsies) and remove polyps.
After the examination is completed, the patient remains in the recovery room for a short period of time for observation.
If there are no complications, he can go home.
Testing for hidden blood in the stool is another option for colon cancer prevention
As an alternative to a colonoscopy, a test for hidden blood in the stool is available.
He already detects blood loss of less than one milliliter per day.
If the test is negative, it at least increases the probability of being healthy.
However, the test does not provide a guarantee.
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It in no way replaces a visit to the doctor. Our editorial team is not allowed to answer individual questions about medical conditions.