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Colon Cancer |
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Globally, colorectal cancer also called colon cancer or bowel
cancer is the third leading cause of cancer. The frequency of colorectal
cancer varies around the world; it is common in the Western world and rare
in Asia and Africa. In countries where people have adopted the western diets
has an increasing incidence of colon cancer.
The colon also known as the large bowel is the longest portion of the large
intestine. The large intestine is the last part of the digestive tract,
which is a tube that is about five to six feet in length; the first five
feet make up the colon which then connects to about six inches of rectum,
and finally ends with the anus. About three to eight hours after eating, by
the time the food reaches the colon, the nutrients have been absorbed and
the remainder is liquid waste product. The colon functions as a converter,
changing this liquid waste into stool. The stool can spend anywhere from ten
hours to several days in the colon before being expelled through the anus.
It has been advised but not proven, that the longer the stool stays in the
colon, the higher the risk of colon cancer.
Colon cancer includes cancerous growths in the colon, rectum and appendix.
Many colon cancers are thought to arise from adenomatous polyps in the
colon. These mushroom-like growths are usually benign, but some may develop
into cancer over time. This process can take years which allow time for
early detection with screening tests.
Symptoms
Symptoms of colon cancer are numerous and non-specific. They include
fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, change in bowel habits, narrow
stools, diarrhea or constipation, red or dark blood in stool, weight loss,
abdominal pain, cramps, or bloating. Other conditions such as irritable
bowel syndrome (spastic colon), ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease,
diverticulosis, and peptic ulcer disease can have symptoms that mimic
colorectal cancer. Most often, these symptoms are not due to cancer, other
problems can cause the same symptoms, so checking with your doctor should be
done immediately to be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
The risk of colon cancer rises substantially after the age of fifty, but
every year there are numerous cases reported in younger people. Individuals
with a personal or family history of colon cancer, polyps, or inherited
colon cancer syndromes (i.e., FAP and HNPCC), as well as patients with
ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, are all at higher risk and may
require screening at an earlier age than the general population. A person
with one first degree relative (parent, sibling or child) with colon cancer
is two to three times as likely to develop the cancer as someone who does
not have an affected relative.
The treatment depends on the staging of the cancer. When colon cancer is
caught at early stages (with little spread) it can be curable. However when
it is detected at later stages (when distant metastases are present) it is
less likely to be curable. Surgery remains the primary treatment while
chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy may be recommended depending on the
individual patient's staging and other medical factors. |
| This article
is provided courtesy of Roxanne Courtmanch. Please visit
www.thehelpingcircle.com for more articles on cancer
as well as many other topics that may be of interest to you.
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