Colon Cancer — Overview

Colon cancer arises from the inner lining of the large intestine (colon). It usually develops from benign polyps that slowly become malignant over 5–10 years. Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in India and rising in incidence. Most cases are curable when detected early.

Warning Signs

• Change in bowel habits lasting more than 4 weeks
• Blood in stool (bright red or dark)
• Unexplained weight loss and fatigue
• Abdominal pain or cramping
• Iron deficiency anaemia without obvious cause
• Feeling that the bowel doesn't empty completely

Surgical Treatment

• Right Hemicolectomy — for cancers of the caecum, ascending colon and hepatic flexure
• Left Hemicolectomy — for cancers of the descending colon and splenic flexure
• Sigmoid Colectomy — for sigmoid colon cancers
• Total/Subtotal Colectomy — for multiple synchronous cancers or hereditary polyposis syndromes (FAP, Lynch syndrome)
• Laparoscopic Colectomy — keyhole surgery; equivalent oncological outcomes with faster recovery

All colon cancer surgeries by Dr. Ashok Kumar follow the principle of Complete Mesocolic Excision (CME) with Central Vascular Ligation (CVL) — the oncological gold standard that maximises lymph node harvest and reduces local recurrence.