Colon Cancer Symptoms

Colon Symptoms
By Sven Ullmann

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In the
United States, around 1000 patients die each day from
complications of cancer. Approximately 2.4 million Americans are
expected to be diagnosed with the dreaded disease in 2007. The
exact cause of is unknown. It is only characterized by
the abnormal cell division and growth. Genetics, exposure to
chemicals and lifestyle are just some of the risk factors in
cancer. 

Colon is a particular in which the primary
affected area is the colon. Many studies showed that people with
colon are those who have been smoking, drinking
excessively, suffers from inflammatory bowel disease and are
obese. Regular colon screenings should be accomplished if
you are considered to be at risk. This kinds of screenings can
help you fight against any kind of colon that might
decide to rear its ugly head. It's important to take care of the
matter before it becomes too much of a problem.

If you are exhibiting the following colon symptoms, you
should be evaluated for colorectal at once. 

1. Irregular bowel movements: you could have less or more bowel
movements if you have colon cancer. You can even experience
constipation more often. This is because the tumor in your colon
is already obstructing the regular flow of your bowel. 

2. Stomach Cramps- due to bowel obstruction, you will feel
stomach cramps and sometimes even bloating. As the tumor grows
bigger, it could actually be perforating the bowel wall causing
pain and discomfort. 

3. Bloody Stool- you might observe bleeding in your bowel.
Sometimes the blood will be present in a very small amount and
not be noticed. But there are also cases, where the stool is
really bloody. A fecal occult blood test can confirm presence of
blood in your stool. 

4. Unexplained weight loss- one of the classic sign of cancer
is weight loss. If you are losing weight even if you are not
trying, you should ask your doctor. 

5. Fatigue- another colon symptom to look out for is
unexplained tiredness. Some experts link this symptom to anemia
or iron deficiency. To be sure, you should have your blood
checked. 

6. Nausea and vomiting- because of the

tumor in your colon
area, you might feel nauseous and even vomit for no apparent
reason. 

7. Gassy- obstruction of the colon by a tumor causes air to be
trapped. 

Diagnosing colon can be done in a number of ways. Your
doctor could perform a digital rectal exam to check for abnormal
areas in your rectum. Another way is to take endoscopic images
of your colon. This is done by inserting a lighted device in you
rectum and images are transmitted to a monitor. This is a very
accurate test and could also differentiate between a polyp and a
tumor growth. 

If detected early, colon can be treated by surgery,
chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The key is early diagnosis.
Chances for survival are higher for people who are diagnosed at
the early stages of colon cancer. This is the reason why you
should be evaluated or screened by a expert especially if
you are exhibiting classic colon symptoms.

About the Author: Article provided by Sven Ullmann, who runs
http://www.deservedhealth.com - a site dedicated to different
health related articles. Read more about
http://www.deservedhealth.com/detecting-early-signs-of-colon-cancer/

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