Radiation therapy may also be a consideration. The course of drug treatment may last for many weeks. When there is no evidence of leukemia cells in the blood or bone marrow, a state of remission is said to have been achieved. However, without repeated courses of treatment, the leukemia often relapses. If the leukemia relapses after the first remission, bone marrow transplantation may be considered.
Colorectal cancer occurs from the presence of cancerous cells in the colon, rectum, or cecum.
Colon cancer and rectal cancer are often referred to as one because the rectum is part of the colon. It is the second most common cancer in the United States. In 1992, it affected more than 156,000 Americans and caused 58,000 deaths. It is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Densely populated, industrialized regions seem to have more cases than rural areas.