|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
||||||||||
Click here
for
|
ColonCancerFactSheet.com
is brought to you by
AllNetHealth.com and is
intended to provide basic information that you can use to make informed
decisions about important health issues affecting you or your loved
ones. We hope that you’ll find this information about
Colon Cancer
helpful
and that you’ll seek professional medical advice to address any specific
symptoms you might have related to this matter.
What is cancer of the colon and rectum? What are the causes colon cancer? What are the symptoms of colon cancer? How is colon cancer diagnosed? How can colon cancer be prevented? What are the treatments and survival for colon cancer? Where can I buy a home test kit for colon cancer? More information on colon cancer
What is cancer of the colon and rectum? (top) The colon is the part of the digestive system where the waste material is stored. The rectum is the end of the colon adjacent to the anus. Together, they form a long, muscular tube called the large intestine (also known as the large bowel). Tumors of the colon and rectum are growths arising from the inner wall of the large intestine. Benign tumors of the large intestine are called polyps. Malignant tumors of the large intestine are called cancers. Benign polyps do not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body. Benign polyps can be easily removed during colonoscopy, and are not life threatening. If benign polyps are not removed from the large intestine, they can become malignant (cancerous) over time. Most of the cancers of the large intestine are believed to have developed from polyps. Cancer of the colon and rectum (also referred to as colorectal cancer) can invade and damage adjacent tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also break away and spread to other parts of the body (such as liver and lung) where new tumors form. The spread of colon cancer to distant organs is called metastasis of the colon cancer. Once metastasis has occurred in colorectal cancer, a complete cure of the cancer is unlikely.
What are the causes colon cancer? (top) Doctors are certain that colorectal cancer is not contagious (a person cannot catch the disease from a cancer patient). Some people are more likely to develop colorectal cancer than others. Factors that increase a person's risk of colorectal cancer include high fat intake, a family history of colorectal cancer and polyps, the presence of polyps in the large intestine, and chronic ulcerative colitis.
What are the symptoms of colon cancer? (top) 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.
How is colon cancer diagnosed? (top)
When
colon cancer is suspected, either a lower GI series (barium enema x-ray)
or colonoscopy is performed to confirm the diagnosis and to localize the
tumor.
A
barium enema involves taking x-rays of the colon and the rectum after
the patient is given an enema with a white, chalky liquid containing
barium. The barium outlines the large intestines on the x-rays. Tumors
and other abnormalities appear as dark shadows on the x-rays.
Colonoscopy is a procedure whereby a doctor
inserts a long, flexible viewing tube into the rectum for the purpose of
inspecting the inside of the entire colon. Colonoscopy is generally
considered more accurate than barium enema x-rays, especially in
detecting small polyps. If colon polyps are found, they are usually
removed through the colonoscopy and sent to the pathologist. The
pathologist examines the polyps under the microscope to check for
cancer. While the majority of the polyps removed through the
colonoscopies’ are benign, many are precancerous. Removal of
precancerous polyps prevents the future development of colon cancer from
these polyps. If cancerous growths are found during colonoscopy, small tissue samples (biopsies) can be obtained and examined under the microscope to confirm the diagnosis. If colon cancer is confirmed by a biopsy, staging examinations are performed to determine whether the cancer has already spread to other organs. Since colorectal cancer tends to spread to the lungs and the liver, staging tests usually include chest x-rays, ultrasonography, or a CAT scan of the lungs, liver, and abdomen.
How can colon cancer be prevented? (top) Unfortunately, colon cancers can be well advanced before they are detected. The most effective prevention of colon cancer is early detection and removal of precancerous colon polyps before they turn cancerous. Even in cases where cancer has already developed, early detection still significantly improves the chances of a cure by surgically removing the cancer before the disease spreads to other organs. Multiple world health organizations have suggested general screening guidelines.
What
are the treatments and survival for colon cancer? (top)
The long term prognosis after surgery depends on whether
the cancer has spread to other organs (metastasis). The risk of
metastasis is proportional to the depth of penetration of the cancer
into the bowel wall. In patients with early colon cancer which is
limited to the superficial layer of the bowel wall, surgery is often the
only treatment needed. These patients can experience long term survival
in excess of eighty percent. In patients with advanced colon cancer,
wherein the tumor has penetrated beyond the bowel wall and there is
evidence of metastasis to distant organs, the five year survival rate is
less than ten percent. In some patients, there is no evidence of distant metastasis at the time of surgery, but the cancer has penetrated deeply into the colon wall, or reached adjacent lymph nodes. These patients are at risk of tumor recurrence either locally or in distant organs. Chemotherapy in these patients may delay tumor recurrence and improve survival.
Click here to purchase a home test kit for colon cancer
More information on cancer (top) For additional information on cancer, please visit the below links to the National Cancer Institute
|
|
|
|
|
| Copyright AllNetHealth.com. All rights reserved |