The colon and rectum are part of the large intestine (bowel). Colon and rectum cancers, which are sometimes referred to together as"colorectal cancer,"usually grow in the lining of the large intestine. Cancer of the Colon and Rectum is the third most common cancer in adults and accounts for 11% of all cancer deaths. Other types of cancer that can grow in the large intestine include lymphomas, melanomas or sarcomas. Alternative names for Cancer is; Colorectal cancer; Intestinal cancer; Bowel cancer; Cancer – colon. .
In most cases, colon cancer has no symptoms, therefore, it is very often diagnosed and treated in the advanced stages when the success rate is reduced. Hidden blood in the stool is mostly the first, and often times the only warning sign. In a high percentage polyps precede the development of colon cancer. Causes, incidences, and risk factors, There is no single cause of colon cancer. Factors associated with colon cancer are colorectal polyps, cancer elsewhere in the body, a family history of colon cancer, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and immunodeficiency disorders. Dietary factors associated with colon cancer are a high-meat, high-fat, low-fiber diet.
Prevention lower your risk factors where possible. Colon cancer can be prevented if polyps that lead to the cancer are detected and removed. If colon cancer is detected in its early stages, it is up to 90% curable. Beginning at age 50, get screening tests to allow early detection. If one of your first-degree relatives has had colon cancer, you should start getting screened 10 years prior to the age your relative was diagnosed. This will help identify pre-cancerous polyps. The four common screening tests and recommended frequency of use are:
1. Fecal Occult Blood Test (annually)
2. Sigmoidoscopy (every 5 years)
3. Double Barium Contrast Enema (every 5 years)
4. Colonoscopy (every 10 years)
The colonoscopy is the most useful, but most invasive test. New tests using CAT scans to do a "virtual" colonoscopy are being developed. These are less invasive, but one must subsequently undergo a colonoscopy if a suspicious lesion is seen.
...ozzi E, Biffoni M, Todaro M, Peschle C, et al. Identification and expansion of human colon-cancer-initiating cells. Nature. 2007;445(7123):111-5.
Cancer is one of the 9 National Health Priority Areas (NHPA), areas which account for a significant portion of the burden of disease, but have sizeable potential for improvement. In Australia, CRC is the second most common cancer, after prostate (in men) and breast cancer (in women) (AIHW, Cancer incidence projections). The incidence has gradually increased (by 13% in males from 1982-2007) (AIHW, Cancer in Australia an overview). This is compounded by the ageing population and population growth, with 14,860 new cases in 2010 (http://www.cancer.org.au/about-cancer/types-of-cancer/bowel-cancer). This graph demonstrates this upward trend ((AIHW, Cancer incidence projections):
...more frequent in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic renal failure and hyperparathyroidism. The causes include the infection of H.pylori and causes of acute gastritis. Medications similar to gastritis are used to treat this disease. Stomach cancer or gastric cancer is a malignant tumor arising from the lining of the stomach. Adenocarcinoma is the most common type of stomach cancer, which starts in the glandular tissue of the stomach and accounts for 90% to 95% of all stomach cancers. Other forms of stomach cancer include lymphomas, which involve the lymphatic system and sarcomas, which involve the connective tissue (such as muscle, fat, or blood vessels). It may often be cured if it is found and treated at an early stage. Unfortunately, the outlook is poor if the cancer is already at an advanced stage when discovered.
Colorectal cancer, or CRC, affects African American men and women more than Caucasians, at a rate 20% higher. This is concerning when faced with the mortality rates among African Americans, 28% higher for women and 14% higher for men than for Whites. African Americans are also more likely to be in later stages of the disease when diagnosed. There is a need to study and evaluate why these factors exist, as proper screening and early diagnosis can severely impact survival rates for CRC. One study attempts to find the solution through testing, however, this study slightly discredits itself along the way.
Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in men and women, responsible for more than 57,000 deaths in 2001 alone. Colon polyps, which can lead to colon cancer, are found in about 30-40% of people aged 60 or older- and the risks of polyps increase with age” (Lerche Davis, 2003). Most cases of colon cancer start as small adenomatous polyps. Many people experience no signs or symptoms in the early stages of colon cancer. Some signs and symptoms can include diarrhea, constipation, or any change in consistency of your stool that continues for longer than a month. Any bleeding from the rectum or blood found in the stool can also be a sign of colon cancer. Continuing abdominal pain, cramps, gas, weakness, fatigue and unexplained weight loss could all be signs of rectal cancer in the patient (Staff,
"Red meat and colon cancer." Harvard Health Publications. Harvard, Mar. 2008. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.
In addition to an endoscopy, a biopsy may be recommended. During a biopsy, a small piece of tissue is removed from an inflamed area. This piece of tissue is then examined in pathology in order to determine whether either disease is present or not.
Colon cancer develops in the part of the gastrointestinal tract that absorbs water and minerals before waste products are disposed via the rectum. In women endometrial cancer is related to colon cancer. This type of cancer is the second leading cause of death due to cancer in the United States. Over one-hundred fifty thousand individuals will be diagnosed this year and this cancer will probably be responsible for about 47,900 deaths in 1999 (http://www.cancer.org). Most colon cancers are adenocarcinomas that develop from the glandular cells. Ninety percent of all colon cancer cases will develop in individuals after 50 years of age. Ninety percent of all tumors arise from polyps that are commonly found in people older than 50. Prevention includes regular exercise and a diet high in fiber. The most important risk factor is age. Medical screening includes a yearly blood occult test after age 50 and a colonoscopy every 3 years after age 50. Regular screening detects polyps that have become precancerous. If regular screening is not done, the cancer is not detected until blood is found in the...
If you notice any of these signs of colon cancer, such as blood in your stool, make an appointment with your doctor. Talk to your doctor about when you should begin screening for colon cancer. Guidelines generally recommend colon cancer screenings begin at age 50. Many doctors recommend more frequent or earlier screening if you have other risk factors, such as a family history of the disease.
When people hear the word cancer, they automatically think death. Worldwide cancer is the leading cause of death. Cancer is also the second leading cause of death in the United States. One out of every four deaths in the United States is due to cancer. In the year 2012 1.9 million deaths were caused by lung cancer, 745,000 deaths were caused by liver cancer, 723,000 deaths were caused by stomach cancer, 694,000 deaths were caused by colorectal cancer, 521,000 deaths were caused by breast cancer, and 400,000 deaths were caused by esophageal cancer. These cancers are also the main types of cancers.
Most parents remembered hearing about the importance of protecting their children from the sun, yet children are still playing in the sun without sunscreen or protective clothing. Many people these days are not taking skin cancer seriously after knowing its significance. Skin cancer has been a growing problem in the United States and millions of people have suffered from it every year. The three most common skin cancers are Melanoma, Basal cell, and Squamous cell, which can cause bumps, sores, growths, etc. Skin cancer is a deadly disease with many causes, but the advantage is that it can be prevented.
Colorectal cancers are thought to develop slowly over a period of several years. Before a true cancer develops, there usually are precancerous changes in the lining of the colon or rectum. These changes might be dysplasia or adenomatous polyps. A polyp is a growth of tissue into the center of the colon or rectum. Some types of polyps (hyperplastic polyps and inflammatory polyps) are not precancerous. However, having adenomatous polyps, also known as adenomas, does increase a person’s risk of developing cancer, especially if there are many polyps or they are large.
Trevena L. (2009) Cancer screening Reprinted from Australian Family Physician: School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales. Vol. 38, No. 4
Cystoscopy. Use to remove a small sample of tissue (biopsy) for analysis in the lab. This test most likely won’t be needed if this is the first time patient had signs or symptoms of cystitis.
Everyone is born with certain genetic mutations that make the them more likely to develop cancer in a later time in life. Though they might have a genetic feature, cancer will not develop unless triggered by environmental factors such as air and water pollution. As a matter of fact, my grandfather started smoking alongside consuming heavy amounts of alcohol around the age of 15, smoking and heavy alcohol intake have been considered as one of the potential causes of colon