Understanding Treatment For Colon Cancer
- “The Mavericks” frontman Raul Malo, 59, has just undergone a “successful” surgery to remove a tumor from his liver, following chemotherapy treatments, in his ongoing colon cancer battle.
- Malo previously revealed his cancer was discovered while undergoing a colonoscopy, which found “two cancerous spots.” Although he hasn’t offered much detail about his treatment plan or the stage of the disease he’s battling, we’re happy to see he’s doing well and taking time for himself to recover.
- Colon cancer is a type of cancer that affects your large intestine (colon) or the end of your intestine (rectum). Your doctor might call this type of cancer colorectal cancer.
- When it comes to treatment for colon cancer at stages one, two and three, there is the potential for a curative effect with surgical resection. However, chemotherapy may also be a correct path of treatment, especially for later stages of the disease.
- Advanced stages of colorectal cancer are not always curable. But because there are so many treatment options available, they can often be managed. There have been major advancements in colon cancer treatment in recent years, and we’ve collaborated with specialists around the country to get the key information about these new treatment options, and to explain when they can be used.
We’re happy to heat that the 59-year-old singer is doing well and taking time to rest after announcing his cancer diagnosis over the summer, after his doctors spotted “two cancerous spots” during a routine colonoscopy, which screens for colon cancer.
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Malo, looking great while donning sunglasses and his usual goatee, says in the video clip, “I wanted to catch you up on my health as we go through this journey,. Some of you know that I had liver surgery on December 10th.
“They successfully removed a tumor from the liver, and we are going into the fourth week of recovery, and they said 4-to-6 weeks recovery which would of course take me into the timing of the cruise and so we just want to give you fair warning that we will not be on the cruise and we are really sorry about that. We love starting off the year with the cruise and some place warm and tropical and believe we could all use that.”
He explained further, “I’m feeling strong, and even though I’m in a little bit of discomfort, like it’s really hard to hold a guitar up to my body, and I don’t know if I can sing.
“Because there’s one thing where you can recover, but you also have to be in performing shape, and I’m nowhere near that, at least not a performance worth writing about or talking about.”
Malo then expressed his regret for not being able to perform on the upcoming cruise, insisting they will “be there” for the next one.
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Malo’s fans were quick to comment with praise and well wishes, with one writing, “I think I speak for all your fans when I say that it’s better for you to heal than worry about a single cruise! No harm no foul – just get well!
“My friends and I have been dancing to you and your band’s extraordinary music since the 80s, and I’m glad there’s more to come! Sending love and healing prayers!”
Another fan commented, “Dear Raul thank you for taking the time to share this update with us. You know, you are always in our thoughts. All we want is that you get well. Please take the time to recover completely. Be kind to yourself, be patient with yourself.
“You have faced some major challenges in the past few months with great humor and strength, so in awe of your attitude. Love surrounds you and your wonderful family. We love you, prayers continue day and night for you.”
A third fan wrote, “You look great, just do whatever you need to get completely past all of this. Don’t push too hard to get back on the road, your fans will be waiting for your return no matter how long it takes.
“I saw you in Clearwater a couple of months ago and I was amazed at your stamina after all you’d been through.”
“Please just rest. Don’t push yourself in anything but positive thoughts and faith. You are surrounded by so much love,” commented a fourth.
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His updates comes after his December 10th post, which featured a photo of him appearing to be in the hospital and kind words thanking his supports for their “sweet thoughts, energy, and prayers.
He captioned the Instagram post, “Looking forward to being on the other side of this. I’m going to take a moment to remind you all to be proactive with regards to your health. It’s important. We have things to do in ’25 and beyond. Thankfully I’m feeling great coming into this.
“The love that I have felt from everyone has been a real force. My family, my friends, and all the fans, I have no words to describe what you all have done for me. All I can say is thank you from the bottom of my heart. We’re going in now. We got this…”
Back in October, Malo informed fans he underwent his 7th round of chemotherapy, noting his medical team were “very happy with my progress.”
He explained, “They want to do one more round, another round of scans and then schedule the liver surgery. More on that later. And as always if any shows will be affected by the recovery time (after surgery) we will get ahead of it as quickly as possible to let everyone know so you’re able to plan accordingly.”
After sharing an inspirational story about turtles, Malo said, “To all those out there fighting this disease: Don’t think that because you’re afraid you’re not brave. YOU ARE! We HAVE to be like these little turtles. We Got This!”
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Raul Malo’s Cancer Journey
In the summer of 2024, Malo went public with his colon cancer battle, urging his supportive fanbase to followup with their doctors and get all necessary checkups/cancer screenings.
Malo urged in a video clip shared on his social media page, “Part of the health journey is to get yourself checked out. Go to a doctor, take a physical.”
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He revealed doctor’s had discovered “two cancerous spots” while undergoing a colonoscopy, which screens for colon cancer and prompted additional testing testing. The singer ultimately learned he had colon cancer.
“One of the reasons I’m telling you all this is that some of the shows may be affected this year as we navigate this situation and see how the therapy goes,” Malo explained.
Diagnosing Colon Cancer
Colon or colorectal cancer affects your large intestine (colon) or the end of your intestine (rectum).
The cancer starts when abnormal lumps called polyps grow in the colon or rectum. If you don’t have these polyps removed, they can sometimes change into cancer. It takes up to 10 years for a colon polyp to become a full-blown cancer, according to SurvivorNet experts.
Expert Resources on Colorectal Cancer
- ‘You Shouldn’t Die From Embarrassment’: Colon Cancer Can Be Prevented
- Alcohol Intake Has a Big Impact on Colon Cancer Surgery
- Biomarkers in Colon Cancer: Understanding KRAS, BRAF, and HER2
- Can a Blood Test Screen for Colon Cancer? Guardant Health Chief Medical Officer Shares Promising Update
- Colon Cancer Diagnosis: What Happens After the Colonoscopy
- Colon Cancer Screening Options And Genetics: Myth Busting With Dr. Heather Yeo
Most colon cancers can be prevented if people are regularly screened. The screening usually involves a colonoscopy, in which a long, thin tube attached to a camera examines the colon and rectum. If no polyps are discovered, the following screening won’t be needed for about ten years.
The American Gastrointestinal Association lowered the recommended initial age for a colorectal screening from 50 to 45.
WATCH: When to get a colonoscopy
After diagnosis, a preliminary staging workup is done using imaging studies, such as a computed tomography (CT) scan, to show whether the cancer has spread. If you have had surgery to remove your cancer, a pathologist will examine it under a microscope to determine your stage.
- Stage 1 cancers are those in which the tumor has only penetrated the superficial layers of the colon and hasn’t gotten into the deeper layers.
- Stage 2 cancers involve the deeper layers of the colon wall
- Stage 3 cancers have spread to the lymph nodes around the colon
- Stage 4 cancers have spread to other organs, such as the liver, lungs, or peritoneal cavity (the space in your abdomen that holds your intestines, stomach, and liver)
Treating Colon Cancer
Malo never specified what stage cancer he has, but it’s important to understand that when it comes to treatment for colon cancer at stages one, two and three, there is the potential for a curative effect with surgical resection.
Colon Cancer Stages One, Two and Three
“As long as it hasn’t spread outside of the local area, it’s still considered a curable colon cancer,” Dr. Heather Yeo, a colorectal surgeon at Weill Cornell Medical Center and a medical advisor to SurvivorNet, previously told us.
According to Dr. Yeo, all patients with stage one to three colon cancers undergo surgery “if they’re healthy enough to tolerate it.” But there’s more nuance to the possibility of additional treatment for stages two and three.
“Stage 2 a little bit more in between,” she said. “It really depends on kind of the depth of the tumor into the colon wall and the risk that it has to spread.
If a stage two colon cancer has “bad features” identified by a pathology report, chemotherapy might be the right move.
The Type of Colon Surgery Depends on the Location of the Tumor
“For example, if when they look at the pathology slides under the microscope, if they see that it’s involving some of the vessels nearby, then that is a higher risk factor,” she explained. “And then, those patients might be more likely to benefit from chemotherapy.”
Stage three colon cancers have spread to the lymph nodes. So, these patients “at least need a conversation of chemotherapy,” according to Dr. Yeo.
“For our patients with 3 or higher, they all need chemotherapy,” Dr. Yeo said.
As for stage 4 colon cancer, there are multiple treatment options available for patients with this stage of the disease, which include both surgical and non-surgical options depending on patient factors, including location and extent of disease and performance status.
With the development of new therapies for metastatic colorectal cancer, there have been improvements in survival. Many of these treatment options involve a multidisciplinary approach, and should be tailored to the individual patient depending on the location and the extent of metastatic disease.
Understanding Your Options With Stage Four Colon Cancer
Advanced stages of colorectal cancer are not always curable. But because there are so many treatment options available, they can often be managed. There have been major advancements in colon cancer treatment in recent years, and we’ve collaborated with specialists around the country to get the key information about these new treatment options, and to explain when they can be used.
Treatment Advances
Meanwhile, a new promising treatment for late stage colorectal cancer may soon be available for patients in need of options. The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) is currently reviewing the drug fruquintinib, an oral treatment by Takeda Oncology.
Fruquintinib is a targeted therapy for adults who have metastatic colorectal cancer and have tried other treatments. Results from a trial published in June showed the drug improved overall survival and progression-free survival, which is a measurement of the amount of time before the cancer comes back or spreads.
When found early, colorectal cancer has a great prognosis. If detected before it spreads, 90% of those diagnosed have a 5-year survival. That is why so much emphasis is put into screening. But for those who are in a later stage, the prognosis is grim and there has been very little progress in treatment development.
Once you get to the metastatic setting, many patients “they just run out of options,” Jennifer Elliott, head of solid tumors at Takeda, explained to SurvivorNet at the ASCO Annual Meeting. So it was critically important for Takeda, to do this deal to in-license fruquintinib. We hope to give patients another option.”
Fruquintinib has been approved in China since 2018, and was originally developed by Chinese biopharmaceutical company HUTCHMED. Takeda Oncology acquired the exclusive worldwide license for the drug outside of mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau in January 2023.
Fruquintinib is an oral drug that inhibits angiogenesis, meaning it blocks the growth of blood vessels that increase tumor growth. It was investigated in two phase three trials for metastatic colorectal cancer.
“Both trials were robust large placebo controlled trials, and they both showed an overall survival advantage,” Elliott told SurvivorNet.
According to the study published in June, patients who received fruquintinib plus best supportive care (BSC) experienced 7.4 months of overall survival, compared to those who received a placebo plus BSC, who experienced 4.8 months of overall survival. And patients who received fruquintinib experienced 3.7 months of progression-free survival, over those who received placebo, who experienced 1.8 months of progression-free survival.
“I think what’s unique about fruquintinib is its manageable safety profile, as well as the fact that it didn’t decrease the quality of life of patients on the trial — which is really important in this late stage of disease,” Elliott told SurvivorNet.
The drug was granted Priority Review by the FDA and assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date of November 30, 2023. A marketing authorization application for the drug in Europe has also been validated.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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