A Survivor Legacy
- Survivor star Cassandra Anne Jakusz, better known as “Angie,” passed away at 40-years-old after a three year battle with a rare form of colorectal cancer.
- Colorectal cancer (also known as bowel cancer) is a type of disease which can begin in the colon, rectum, or the small bowel.
- Treatment for colorectal cancer depends largely on the stage of the disease. Options can include surgery, chemotherapy, or a combination of both.
Jakusz, whose full name was Cassandra Anne Jakusz, passed away on January 8 in New Orleans after being diagnosed with a rare form of squamous cell colorectal cancer three years go. Information and updates on her condition were shared through a GoFundMe set up by her husband Steven Calandra. One of her fellow contestants, Coby Archa, talked to People about Jakusz’s influence in the Survivor franchise and how he learned about her cancer diagnosis.
Read MoreInside Survivor would like to send our condolences and best wishes to the friends and family of Angie Jakusz, who sadly passed away last Friday. Angie showed her amazing fighting spirit and character during her time on Survivor: Palau. RIP Angie. pic.twitter.com/lv9Ua9CNrX
— Martin Holmes (@RedmondSurvivor) January 14, 2021
Jakusz came in 13th on her season of Survivor, and like so many other tribal councils, her departure was a complete shock to her. Here’s a clip of her elimination blindside.
What is Colorectal Cancer?
Squamous cell colorectal cancer is an extremely rare form of cancer in the colon. However, colorectal cancer (also known as bowel cancer) is a type of disease which can begin in the colon, rectum, or the small bowel. The disease begins when polyps grow from the inner lining of the bowel. Usually these polyps are harmless, but if left untreated, they can become cancerous.
Unbelievably, there’s a common misconception that colon cancer is a type of disease that is only diagnosed in men. That couldn’t be less true. Currently, colon cancer is the third most common type of cancer within the United States, and affects both men and women. “Colon cancer does not only affect men, Dr. Heather Yeo, a colorectal surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet. “Colon cancer affects both men and women. It’s actually the third most common cancer in the United States. What happens is people often don’t know that they have colon cancer. They don’t have any symptoms. That’s why we screen for colon cancer in the United States.”
Dr. Heather Yeo busts the myth that only men get colon cancer
Treatment for Colorectal Cancer
The treatment plan for colorectal cancer depends largely on the stage of the disease. In early-stage diagnoses, sometimes surgery is enough to eliminate all signs of the disease. However, in advanced forms of the cancer, patients may not qualify for surgery since it wouldn't be able to successfully remove all the tumors. In those cases, more treatment will be needed such as chemotherapy which can manage the cancer and make sure it doesn't continue to spread.
Related: Choosing Your Colon Surgeon
Evaluating whether patients can qualify for surgery depends largely on the age of the patient, size of the tumor, and preexisting medical conditions. Like any surgery, there is a higher risk of complications from surgery if the patient is elderly and has health issues.
Dr. Heather Yeo explains treatment options for stage 4 colon cancer
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