After skin cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer, Colon cancer is the fourth most common cancer type occurring in women across the globe. There are many types of colon cancer: Carcinoid Tumors, Lymphoma, Melanoma and Sarcomas. However, the most common of all the colon cancers is Colon Carcinoma.

A colon in the human body is a long, coiled tube shaped organ, which helps in removing water from the digested food. It is also called the large intestine or the large bowel having four sections: Ascending Colon, Transverse Colon, Descending Colon and Sigmoid Colon. Colon cancer is a type of cancer, which forms in the colon tissues. It is often referred to as colorectal cancer. Colon cancers usually are adenocarcinomas, which mean that they begin in cells releasing mucus and other type of fluids.

Who Are At Risk Of Having Colon Cancer?

Colon cancer is responsible for most of the deaths elated to cancer, but doctors say that an early diagnosis can reduce the risk. Immediate action can also lead to full cure of a patient. The risk of having colon cancer increases, if you:

1-Have cancer elsewhere in your body

2-Have a personal history of breast cancer

3-Have a family history of colon cancer

4-Have colorectal polyps, crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis

Apart from the above stated reasons, the risk of having colon cancer also depends on your diet. Doctors say that chances of colon cancer may increase, if you are having red meat and a high fat with low fibre diet. Some genetic syndromes may be also responsible in developing colon cancer.

Symptoms of Colon Cancer

There are several symptoms indicating the presence of colon cancer in your body. Some of them include blood in your stool, narrow stools, tenderness & pain in the lower abdomen, unexplained anaemia, sudden weight loss, constipation, diarrhoea, intestinal obstruction and changes in bowel habits.

Take Immediate Action against the Menace

If you feel that you are having any of the symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. There are many physical exams, which needs to be done on your belly area. There are also imaging tests that are extremely helpful in diagnosing colon cancers. Again, tests similar to sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy confirm the presence of colon cancer.

One more test of detecting colon cancer is the fecal occult blood test (FEBT). After detection of colon cancer, additional tests known as staging is done to check the exact area in which the colon cancer has spread.

Treatment of Colon Cancer

The treatment of colon cancer is mainly dependent on the stage in which it has been detected. The most common treatments for colon cancer are chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy medicines kill the colon cancer cells, radiation therapy destroys the cancerous tissue present and surgery may be done to remove the cancer cells.

If treated at an early stage, nearly 90% of patients suffering from colon cancer may survive for minimum of five years after diagnosis. And in cases where the colon cancer does not recur within a period of five years, the patient is considered to be fully cured.

There is a very tight bond between polyps and colon cancer. That is to say that, although polyps are almost always benign, if they do turn out to be malign then you develop colon cancer.

Polyps can be found in other parts of the body, besides the colon. In time, if you have these growths in your colon, you can develop colon cancer. The size and shape of the polyps varies. Almost all polyps that one has in the rectum are benign, that is to say that they do not cause colon cancer and do not cause any symptoms as well. As time goes by, so does the risk of developing colon cancer increases. If you have polyps and do not remove them, you will are much at risk of developing colon cancer. After five years the risk of colon cancer is only 3 percent, but in ten years time it goes as high as 10 percent. After almost twenty years from being diagnosed with polyps, the risk of developing colon cancer reaches almost 25 percent. If one has it’ s polyps removed, the risk of having colon cancer is almost 2 percent, compared to almost eight if you do not remove them. Furthermore, if the polyps are removed by colonoscopy then the risk of developing colon cancer is reduced considerably.

On the other hand, if you do get diagnosed with colon cancer, there is no need to worry very much. The rate of colon cancer cure is very good. One of the most important factors of risk when talking about colon cancer is age. As older you get, as bigger the risk of developing colon cancer gets. Moreover, men are also more at risk of having colon cancer than women. In this type of cancer, the color of your skin also seems to be a factor. Black people are more at risk of having colon cancer than white people are. If you are a drinker or if you smoke, then the risk of developing colon cancer further increases. Exercise and a proper weight are important when talking about colon cancer. For example, if you are a sedentary person or if you have a “few ” extra pounds, then the risk of colon cancer increases.

Studies have shown that if you do not eat enough vegetables or fruits, or if you smoke more than a pack of cigarettes a day, then the risk of having polyps is much grater, thus increasing the risk of developing colon cancer.

For more resource on different colon cancer subjects please click this link http://www.colon-cancer-center.com. You can also find valuable information about stage3 colon cancer or even about colon cancer diet

Colon cancer also known as colorectal cancer is cancer cells that are present in the long tube known as the large intestine and rectum. Some tumors found in this area are called polyps are not cancerous; however, tumors that are malignant are cancer. The polyps can be removed without the worry of spreading the disease, as they are not cancerous. Cancer of the colon or rectum on the other hand, can spread to other areas of the body and tissue. This occurs when cancer cells break away from the tumor and travel to other areas of the body, which is called metastasis, and can spread to the liver or the lungs. After metastasis occurs, the prognosis for a full recovery is dim.

The causes of Colon Cancer

As with practically all cancers, the exact causes are not known, however, risk factors that are present may help lead scientists to the answer. The risk factors for developing colon cancer include the following.

Diet

Individuals that eat a diet high in fat are at a higher risk of developing colon cancer. Those that eat a balanced diet and include such things as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables decrease their chances of developing colon cancer.

Colon polyps

Physicians believe that untreated polyps develop into colon cancer. In the majority of cases, these polyps are benign; however, over years without being removed the cells can change due to chromosome damage, which can become cancerous.

Ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis can be a cause of colon cancer. This disorder brings on inflammation to the inner lining of the colon. In the majority of individuals with ulcerative colitis their chances of colon cancer begins to increase after 8 to 10 years of living with the disorder. Research shows colon cancer and individuals with ulcerative colitis include after 10 years 2.5% had colon cancer, after 30 years the rate rose to 7.6%, and after 50 years, it had risen to 10.8%.

Heredity

Past history of relatives with colon cancer increases the risk of this type of cancer. However, 80 percent of all patients do not have a family history of the disease.

Symptoms of Colon Cancer

Many people do not realize they have colon cancer due to the fact that the symptoms may not be present for many years after the development of the cancer cells. The symptoms can differ according to the location of the cancer or the tumor. The right colon is very large and in most cases, the symptoms are not apparent except for the possibility of becoming anemic due to iron deficiency due to the cancer. The left colon on the other hand is smaller and can cause partial or complete obstruction of the bowel bringing on constipation, diarrhea, cramps, bloating, and abdominal pain.

The main symptoms that are present with colon cancer include weakness, fatigue, change in bowel movements, shortness of breath, diarrhea, constipation, weight loss, cramps, bloating, abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome, peptic ulcer disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and diverticulosis.