Why is a stoma necessary?
There are a number of conditions that may necessitate the formation of a stoma (Box 1). Further details of some of these are highlighted below. Pelvic cancers – Cancers arising in the pelvis can result in the patient requiring a stoma: – Colorectal cancer: This is the third most common cancer in men, and the second most common cancer in women in the UK. Each year, there are 18,500 new cases in men, and over 16,000 cases in women (Cancer Research UK, 2005). The primary treatment remains excision of the tumour. The survival rate of a person with colorectal cancer depends on the stage of the disease at presentation. Ten per cent of all cancer deaths in the UK are attributed to cancers of the large bowel (Cancer Research UK, 2002). – Bladder cancer: In England and Wales, bladder cancer accounts for four per cent of male cancers and two per cent of those in females (Cancer Research UK, 2002). It is related to some environmental factors; for example, certain industrial chemicals, and smoking
