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In order to decide what treatment is best for the patient the doctor will stage the cancer after it has been diagnosed to see how much it has affected the inner layers of the colon and if it has spread to other organs. In order to stage a cancer the doctor will make some tests. He can use the CT scan which shows detailed images of what it is inside the body, using x-rays. The lymph node biopsy means that one lymph node is removed and then taken to the laboratory to see if it contains cancerous cells. The complete blood count is also done, checking out the number or red and white blood cells, long with the number of platelets. Also, the amount of hemoglobin is being checked, along with the portion of red blood cells. Another test of the blood will be performed to measure the level of the carcinoembryonic antigen which is considered to be released by cancerous cells along with normal cells. If its level is higher than normal it means that somewhere in the body a cancer has installed. The MRI test can also be used as it is not dangerous for the body because it uses a magnet, radio waves to show detailed images from inside the colon. The last procedure used is surgery for removing the tumor and finding out how much the cancer has spread in the local areas of the colon. For colon cancer there are IV stages which describe best the evolution of the disease. Stage 0 also known as carcinoma in situ, means that the cancer has only affected the innermost lining of the colon. In Stage I the cancer has reached the middle layers of the colon. It is also known as Dukes’ A colon cancer. Stage IIA refers to the fact that the cancer has spread beyond the middle layers of the colon and might have also affected the nearby tissues of the colon. Stage IIB means that the cancer has spread to other nearby organs and reached the peritoneum. Stage III is divided in three and is also known as Dukes' C colon cancer. In Stage IIIA the cancer reached the middle layers of the colon and also affected 1 to 3 lymph nodes. In Stage IIIB 1 to 3 lymph nodes are affected along with nearby tissues of the colon or even nearby organs. In Stage IIIC the cancer has affected more than 3 lymph nodes and reached nearby tissues of the colon or even nearby organs. Stage IV refers to the fact that the cancer might have spread to distant parts of the body including other organs. This stage is also known as Dukes’ D colon cancer. For greater resources on colon cancer or especially about colon cancer symptoms please visit this link http://www.colon-cancer-center.com/colon-cancer-symptoms.htm
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