Colon Cancer
Colon cancer is uncommon in those under forty years of age and tends to be associated with a poorer prognosis. Another consideration is that people who don?t have symptoms at the time of diagnosis tend to have a better prognosis. Colon cancer is regarded as the second leading cause of most cancer deaths in the United States. Colon cancer is a long-standing disease, which starts as a polyp or a small non-cancerous growth. Colon cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related death in Canada. It is estimated that one of 16 Canadian men and one of 18 Canadian women will develop colon cancer in their lifetimes, just behind breast cancer for women and prostate cancer in men.
Colon cancer is most common in people over age 50. Colon cancer is easily treated, and even cured in some cases, if lesions are caught early. The problem is that most people don’t know they are harboring cancerous growths, since the disease has very few symptoms. Colon cancer is the second most common form of cancer in the United States and the number three cause of cancer death in Americans. The appearance of an adenomatous polyp precedes malignant tumors in 95% percent of all colon cancer cases.
Colon cancer is often fatal if the cancer cells have spread unchecked through the lymphatic system or bloodstream to adjacent and/or distant tissues. Colorectal cancer has a strong tendency to metastasize to the liver, which represents the leading cause of death for people with the disease. Colon cancer is preventable. The most important step towards preventing colon cancer is getting a screening test. Colon cancer is caused by the abnormal growth of cells in the lining of the bowel. Usually small lumps called polyps begin to form.
Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths. The American Cancer Society recommends that men and women be screened for colon cancer beginning at age 50. Colon cancer is a very common cancer second only to lung cancer. The strongest risk factor for colon cancer is age. Colon cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the second-largest cause of cancer death in the U.S.
How do we prevent colon cancer?
Colon or rectal cancer is common among people who are 50 years and above, so the best the best way to prevent it is to start earlier going for screening tests. During this period, if there are certain diseases or other conditions that may lead to cancer, it will be discovered and removed. Anybody who has a family history of colon cancer should not joke with this but rather take this screening exercise serious and it must be started early.
The most common screening tests are listed below:
1) Facial occult blood test. This is a process whereby a small sample of stool is collected on a special card provided by the doctor and sent for an analysis in the laboratory. Some chemical substances will be dropped on the stool and if the solution changes color, it is an evidence of the presence of cancer.
2) Sigmoidoscopy. In this process, the doctor will fix a flexible viewing tube from the rectum down to colon to enable him see the lower part of the intestine which is where most of the colon cancer grows.
3) Barium enema. In this process, Barium which is a whitish liquid is poured into the rectum and the colon. This white liquid makes the colon more visible with an x-ray machine.
4) Colonoscopy. Here, the doctor puts a long flexible viewing tube into the rectum and the colon. This tube will be linked to a monitor that is similar to a T.V. screen .
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Tags: Body, Cancer, colon cancer