A colon-cancer diagnosis changes everything. That’s why Kettering Health’s expert team of oncologists is committed to getting you back to best health today, so you can enjoy more tomorrow.

We will guide you and your family through every step of the path ahead, helping you understand our cutting-edge treatments and how to get the most out of our educational, emotional, and spiritual support. 

We’re committed to caring for you and your family so you can confidently understand what’s happening when it’s happening throughout your journey.

We have resources and expertise focused on catching early signs of colon cancer, making diagnoses with minimally invasive techniques, providing careful and precise treatment, and offering comprehensive support. 

Early Detection

Regular screenings provide necessary opportunities to find colon cancer at an early stage before it has spread.

Our screenings enable us to catch changes in a patient’s colon and rectum—such as benign growths or polyps—before they turn cancerous (malignant). Finding them early can mean the difference in years lived.

The Kettering Health Cancer Care team is here to help ensure you receive excellent care during any screenings. 

Diagnosis

We know a diagnosis can lead to a lot of uncertainty. We’re here to ensure we make careful, confident diagnoses along with determining the stage (progression) of the cancer, as well as confidently discerning what moving forward will look like.

If your doctor believes you could have colon cancer, he or she will most likely recommend either a colonoscopy or computed tomography (CT) scans.

A colonoscopy is a procedure that utilizes a tiny video camera, enabling your oncologist to view the inside of your colon.

CT scans are X-ray scans that allow your doctor to see polyps (growths) inside the colon.

If it’s determined that you have colon cancer, your Kettering Cancer Care oncologist will order further tests, including abdominal and chest CT scans, to determine the stage of the cancer.

• Stage I: Cancer has grown through the lining of your rectum or colon, but it has not spread further.
• Stage II: Cancer has grown into or through the wall of the colon or rectum, but it has spread no further.
• Stage III: Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, but it has not spread any further.
• Stage IV: Cancer has spread to other organs in the body.

Treatment

At Kettering Cancer Care, colon-cancer treatments are chosen based on the type and stage of colon cancer you may be diagnosed with, as well as your wishes for treatment. Frequently utilized options your oncologist may advise could include the following:

• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Surgery
• Targeted drug therapy

Support

We’re committed to providing you with confident, careful, and comprehensive care. Our expert teams of surgeons, oncologists, specially trained nurses, nutritionists, and chaplains are here to help you with through your diagnosis and treatment. 

We have cancer support groups open to patients, families, and friends affected by a cancer diagnosis. 

For more information on offerings, call (855) 500-CURE (2873).