Colon Cancer

Colon Cancer
By Cure Cancer

Globally, colorectal also called colon or bowel
cancer is the third leading cause of cancer. The frequency of
colorectal 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 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 over time. This
process can take years which allow time for early detection with
screening tests.

Symptoms

Symptoms of colon 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 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 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 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.

About the Author: For More Information On Colon Visit
http://coloncancer.topwomenshealth.com

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