What is colon cancer?

Hello
My mom have colon cancer stage4, even the her doctor said she need chemo, i still want to ask for other expert advice! Can you pls, tell me more about this colon cancer, Where you get this and what kind of chemotherapy she need, and what is the percentage of assurance that she will be heal?
Pls i need your advice! Thank you and God Bless!

[Sanjivani Wanjari, MD]

HI there,
I can understand that you are worried. But it is difficult to suggest chemotherapy without a proper evaluation. Stage 4 is an advanced stage of the disease. Chemotherapy is used to shrink tumor size, or slow tumour growth. Chemotherapy is often applied after surgery (adjuvant), before surgery (neoadjuvant), or as the primary therapy (palliative). Chemotherapy has been shown in clinical trials to improve survival and/or reduce mortality rate. Various drugs available are 5-fluorouracil, capecitabine, Leucovorin, Oxaliplatin etc. These have to be taken under close medical supervision.
Take care.