What is Colorectal Cancer?
Colorectal cancer starts in the colon (large intestine) or the rectum. Most of the time, it begins as small growths on the inner wall called polyps. It is one of the most preventable cancers because a test called a colonoscopy can find and remove polyps before they turn into cancer.
makes up more than 95 out of 100 colorectal cancer cases
start in cells that make hormones
start in the wall of the colon.
📌 Tandaan: Ang colonoscopy ay 'gold standard' — kaya nitong pigilan ang cancer bago pa ito magsimula sa pamamagitan ng pag-alis ng polyps.
Causes and Risk Factors
Eating a lot of red meat and processed meat, not eating enough fiber, being overweight, smoking, and drinking a lot of alcohol are major risk factors.
The risk goes up a lot after age 45 to 50. A family history of colorectal cancer or polyps raises the risk. Genetic conditions like Lynch Syndrome or FAP (Familial Adenomatous Polyposis) also greatly increase the chance of getting this cancer.
Common Symptoms
- A change in bowel habits — diarrhea
- Rectal bleeding or blood in the stool — it may look bright red or dark and tarry
- Persistent abdominal discomfort — cramping
- A feeling that the bowel does not empty completely after going to the bathroom
- Unexplained weight loss and tiredness (often caused by slow blood loss from the tumor)
Diagnosis & Prognosis
A colonoscopy lets a doctor see the entire inside of the colon and rectum using a thin tube with a camera. If a polyp or suspicious area is found, it can be removed or tested right away. Screening should generally start at age 45.
A CT scan of the chest, belly, and pelvis checks if the cancer has spread — especially to the liver, which is the most common place. MRI is critical for rectal cancer to see exactly how deep the tumor has grown and if nearby lymph nodes are involved.
CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen) is a substance found in the blood that is used to check if treatment is working, or to see if the cancer has come back after surgery.
All colorectal cancers should be tested for something called MSI (Microsatellite Instability). Tumors that are MSI-High respond very well to immunotherapy. Testing for KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF gene changes is also needed to choose the right targeted therapy for advanced cases.
Colorectal cancer is very treatable when found early. Even when it has spread to the liver, surgery to remove both the original tumor and the liver tumors can lead to long-term survival or even a cure.
Localized: 91 out of 100 people are still alive after 5 years. Regional: 72 out of 100. Distant: 15 out of 100. Survival for Stage IV continues to improve as new targeted drugs and better surgical techniques become available.
Treatment Options
The main treatment for localized colon cancer is removing the affected part of the colon and nearby lymph nodes (colectomy). Most of the time this can be done through small cuts using a laparoscope or robotic tools.
TME is a specialized surgical technique for rectal cancer. It removes the rectum together with the surrounding fatty tissue that contains lymph nodes. This technique significantly reduces the chance of the cancer coming back in the same area.
Chemotherapy (often FOLFOX or CAPOX) is used after surgery for Stage III to destroy any remaining cancer cells. For rectal cancer, chemotherapy and radiation are often given before surgery to shrink the tumor first.
Targeted drugs like Cetuximab (for tumors without a KRAS mutation) or Bevacizumab (Avastin) are used for advanced cases. Immunotherapy (Pembrolizumab) is a major breakthrough for MSI-High patients.
Jinshazhou Hospital offers Da Vinci robotic surgery, advanced IMRT for rectal cancer, and comprehensive molecular testing to tailor systemic therapy.
Not sure which treatment applies to your case?
Get a personalised review from a Colorectal Cancer specialist.
Our partner oncologists at Jinshazhou Hospital review your scans and pathology report and return a detailed recommendation — typically within 72 hours, at no cost.
Staging & Symptoms by Stage
Colorectal cancer stages go from 0 (very early, only on the surface) to IV (spread to distant organs). Symptoms often don't appear until the cancer has grown larger or spread.
Cancer is only in the inner lining (Stage 0) or has grown a little into the wall (Stage I). Usually no symptoms. Very good cure rate (more than 90 out of 100) with surgery alone.
Cancer has grown through the colon wall but has not reached lymph nodes. Symptoms may be subtle — small changes in bowel habits or a small amount of blood in the stool that is not visible.
Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. Symptoms become more noticeable: visible blood in stool, stomach pain, or stools that look narrower than usual.
Cancer has spread to other organs, most commonly the liver or lungs. Symptoms include major weight loss, yellowing of the skin (if the liver is involved), or trouble breathing.
What to Do If You Notice Symptoms
Noticing possible symptoms can be frightening — but taking the right steps quickly can dramatically change the outcome. Most symptoms are caused by non-cancerous conditions, but only a doctor can tell for sure.
⚠️ Go to the ER immediately if you experience: severe difficulty breathing, heavy uncontrollable bleeding, sudden severe pain, loss of consciousness, or stroke-like symptoms (facial drooping, one-sided weakness, slurred speech).
Note what you feel, when it started, how often it happens, and what makes it better or worse. List all medications you take and any family history of cancer.
Don't wait for symptoms to go away on their own. Persistent symptoms lasting more than 2–3 weeks always need medical evaluation.
Ask your doctor which tests they are ordering and why. Request a physical copy of every result. If a biopsy is needed, ask about molecular and genetic testing on the tissue sample.
- Don't rush into treatment. Take 1–2 weeks to gather information and a second opinion before committing to a plan.
- Request an MDT review. The best outcomes come from cases reviewed by surgeons, oncologists, radiation specialists, and pathologists together.
- Always get a second opinion. A second opinion is standard practice, not an insult to your doctor.
- Ask about clinical trials. They often give access to treatments not yet widely available locally.
The Cost of Waiting
Most people don't delay treatment out of carelessness. They delay because life is busy, symptoms seem minor, and fear makes it easier to wait. But with colorectal cancer, every month of delay has a measurable cost — financial, physical, and personal.
A symptom appears — unusual fatigue, a persistent change, something that wasn't there before. It's easy to dismiss. "I'll wait and see if it goes away."
The symptom hasn't resolved. Life is busy. The thought of a diagnosis is frightening. Another month passes.
Pain, weight loss, or visible changes force the issue. A doctor is finally seen. Initial tests begin — but results take weeks, and the referral chain adds more time.
The colorectal cancer has spread beyond its original site. Surgery alone is no longer sufficient. The plan now involves multiple treatments running together — and the goal shifts from cure to control.
Multiple chemotherapy lines. Targeted therapy. Repeat hospitalizations. Extended leave from work. The financial burden compounds every month treatment continues — with no clear end date.
The Financial Reality
Realistic cost ranges based on standard oncology care pathways in the Philippines and abroad. Actual costs vary by hospital, regimen, and stage.
- Primary treatmentSurgery + adjuvant chemo or radiation
- Duration4–6 months
- Hospitalizations1–2 planned admissions
- Work impact3–6 months leave
- 5-year survival70–90%
- Primary treatmentMultiple chemo lines + targeted therapy
- Duration12–36+ months, ongoing
- HospitalizationsMultiple unplanned admissions
- Work impact12+ months or permanent
- 5-year survival10–30%
💡 Why the gap is so large: Early-stage colorectal cancer often needs one treatment (surgery). Late-stage needs several running at once — and when one stops working, another line begins. Costs multiply, and they don't stop.
The financial weight of cancer treatment can feel overwhelming — but it rarely has to be borne by one person. The people in your life — family, friends, community — love you, and most of them would do anything to help if they only knew what you were going through. Let them in. Share what you are facing. You may be surprised how quickly people rally when someone they care about needs them. A diagnosis is not a burden to hide — it is an invitation for the people who matter most to show up for you.
Why Patients Choose Jinshazhou Hospital of GZUCM
Most Filipino patients with colorectal cancer eventually discover that the treatments with the best outcomes — NanoKnife (IRE) for inoperable tumors, CyberKnife SBRT for sub-millimetre precision radiotherapy, proton therapy, CAR-T cell therapy, and comprehensive molecular profiling — are either unavailable in the Philippines or require months-long waiting lists. Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine offers all of these under one roof, with every case reviewed by a standing multi-disciplinary team before a single treatment is recommended. The cost is typically 50–70% less than Singapore, 60–75% less than Thailand, and up to 90% less than the United States — for the same technologies and international-standard care. See the full technology and treatment overview →
Detection & Treatment Timing — Outcome Matrix
Four possible journeys for a colorectal cancer patient. Detection timing and treatment timing are independent decisions — and each combination produces a measurably different outcome.
Detection
Cancer caught before it spreads. One curative treatment course, short duration. Most patients return to normal life within 6–12 months.
Detected early but treatment was delayed — fear, denial, or access issues. The cancer advanced despite the early window. Outcomes worsen with every month of delay.
Detection
Found at an advanced stage but treatment started immediately. Multiple modalities required. High cost, prolonged treatment, but prompt action improves the odds.
Cancer found late and treatment further delayed. The highest financial burden combined with the lowest chance of long-term survival. Treatment focuses on control, not cure.
Patients treated at Stage I or II typically complete treatment in months — not years. They keep their hair, their energy, their routines. They return to work. They attend their children's graduations, their grandchildren's birthdays. Treatment becomes a chapter in their life, not the whole story.
Advanced treatment today can extend life by months — sometimes years. That time is not a consolation prize. It is the Sunday lunches, the long conversations, the slow mornings you didn't think you'd have. Every day gained is a day with the people who matter most.
Any of us can be taken without warning. But a diagnosis, as frightening as it is, offers something most people never receive: the chance to be intentional — to choose how you spend your time, to say what you've been meaning to say, to be fully present with the people you love most. That clarity is worth something. Don't let it pass without acting on it.
Cancer does not pause. Every week of delay is a week the disease uses to grow, to spread, to make treatment harder and options fewer. What is treatable today may not be operable in three months. What is curable this year may only be manageable next year. The window exists — but it will not stay open. The single most powerful thing you can do right now is pick up the phone and start the conversation. Everything else follows from that one decision.
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