Life expectancy with metastases
Colorectal cancer generally has a very good life expectancy, as a therapeutic cure can still be sought even for tumors in advanced stages. Thus, even metastases in lymph nodes can be well treated and eliminated by a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. However, metastases in distant organs have a strong negative influence on life expectancy.
In most cases, colorectal cancer metastasizes to the liver and lungs. Individual metastases can also be removed surgically in these cases if they are located conveniently, for example at the outer edge of the organ. In other organs, however, the metastases often cannot be removed.
In these cases, healing cannot be assumed, which massively reduces life expectancy. The 5-year survival rate for metastases is about 5%. However, this statistic includes all non-treatable colorectal cancer cases, which is why an individual prognosis cannot be made.
What is the life expectancy without treatment?
Even without treatment, life expectancy is highly dependent on the original stage and progress of the cancer. A small, localized carcinoma can develop over a period of years before it grows invasively, forms metastases and eventually affects the entire body. In some cases, it is even possible that the malignant cells are permanently confined to the intestinal mucosa and never develop into a dangerous, invasive and spreading cancer.
This is called an “in situ carcinoma”. In most cases, however, colorectal cancer continues to grow untreated and permanently infiltrates all organs of the body. The length of time in which the disease progresses also depends on how aggressively the cancer cells multiply, how good the blood and lymph supply is in the affected section of the intestine, how strong the immune system and the physical condition of the person affected are, and whether the cancer cells attack vital organs early on. How can colorectal cancer be treated?
What factors influence life expectancy in colorectal cancer?
Life expectancy is influenced by many factors that have a minor or major impact on the prognosis. Probably the greatest influence is exerted by the stage of the disease and thus the progress of the spread of the tumor cells. Of course, a small pre-tumor stage has a completely different prognosis than a carcinoma, which has spread through the entire intestinal wall and formed metastases in distant organs such as the liver and lungs.
This is followed by the important factor of prevention, which can be influenced significantly by the patient himself. From the age of 50 onwards, when the statistical cancer cases increase, there are preventive medical checkups that everyone can take advantage of. In these examinations, polyps, preliminary stages of tumors and other changes in the intestinal wall are detected, removed, analyzed and, if necessary, further therapies are initiated.
Another important factor besides early detection and prevention is the timely and correct therapy. With early and complete surgical removal of the tumor, life expectancy increases enormously. Tumour remnants that could not be removed during the operation are more likely to speak against a cure in the long term.
The therapeutic response of colorectal cancer also plays an important role in this context. Not all tumors are equally sensitive to chemotherapy after surgery. Thus, cells can survive the therapy and then spread again in the body.The personal constitution of the patient also plays a role in the spread of the cells and the overall life expectancy. A strong immune system and a good general condition facilitate the therapy and improve the prognosis.
