Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers contracted in the United States. 90-95% of all colorectal cancers are adenocarcinomas. This cancer begins in cells that make and secrete mucus. These cells are contained in glandular tissue. Hence the root name, adeno which means gland and the word, carcinoma, refers to a malignant tumor. Most of these cancers begin in small skin-like protrusions known as polyps. Usually, these are not cancerous however the more they are ignored and allowed to grow they can become overgrown and become cancerous. 25% of people over the age of 50 have polyps.
As your body’s cells die off they are supposed to be replaced by fresh new cells. Sometimes when old cells die off they don’t leave the body but remain and form a tissue mass or tumor of malformed cells. If these masses begin to grow they can cause obstructions and or get into the blood stream and lymphatic system and spread.
Once a diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer is made it is important to know what stage or degree of severity it is.
Stage 1 is an early stage. Cancerous cells are found in the muscular layer of the colon wall but has not spread beyond that.
Stage 2 means that the cancer has spread through the entire colon wall and can be found on the outer wall of the colon.
Stage 3 means that the cancer has spread to some of the nearby lymph nodes but can’t be found in other parts of the body
Stage 4 means that the cancer has spread beyond the colon to other parts of the body, most often the liver and lungs. This is an advanced stage.
Depending on the stage of colorectal cancer the most common surgery is a colon resection. A resection means to remove the damaged portion of colon and then either reconnect the remaining ends. If the damaged portion of your colon is too extensive the surgeon may choose to bring the colon to the surface of the abdomen to empty into a bag and that is called a colostomy.
If you have a colon resection or a colostomy it is important to rest your gut and give your colon time to heal before beginning a regular diet. It is extremely important to introduce foods beginning with clear liquids like clear broth and jello and progressing to full liquids, which would include soups, pudding, milk shakes, and thinned hot cereals. It is also a very good idea to keep a food diary to track how your body reacts to certain foods and how well you tolerate them. You many want to avoid dairy products at first as they can cause bloating and gas.
Avoid high fiber foods such as raw vegetables and juices with pulp. Avoid nuts and seeds, chunky peanut butter, tough meat and fried foods, beans and peas, raisins and desserts that contain nuts or seeds.
Remember to introduce foods slowly, one at a time and wait one to two hours to see how you feel and how your body digests the food.
Try to establish a regular eating schedule and eat 4-6 small meals per day, or about every 3 hours.
Drink plenty to liquid, preferably water to stay hydrated.
After the gut heals from a colon resection you can begin a more regular diet. It is still important to follow the guidelines for a normal diet but it is still important to eat small frequent meals and to track how your body reacts to foods.
If you have a colostomy it’s important to eat a soft diet and your health care professional can assist you with guidelines on what to eat
It is not uncommon to be nervous about eating after a colon resection or colostomy placement. Not knowing how your body will react can be unsettling but staying hydrated and introducing foods slowly and in the right order will help insure an easier transition to helping keep your body nourished and on the road to healing.
