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By Jack Stowe

Colorectal cancer, also called large bowel cancer, is the term used to describe malignant tumors found in the colon and rectum.

In the United States, about 160,000 new cases of colorectal cancer are diagnosed each year. It is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.

The average age of diagnosis of cancer in patients with this syndrome is 44 years old, as compared to 64 years old in people without the syndrome. Two-thirds of these cancers occur in the proximal colon.

In colon cancer patients, pathologists can measure microsatellite instability in colon tumor specimens, which is a surrogate marker for DNA mismatch repair gene dysfunction.

To know if you are at risk to colorectal cancer, you must know what are the causes, risk factors and symptoms associated with this cancer.

However, I have known there is no single cause for colon cancer. Nearly all colon cancers begin as benign polyps, which slowly develop into cancer.

But you have a higher risk for colon cancer if you have: Colorectal polyps Cancer elsewhere in the body, a family history of colon cancer, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, personal history of breast cancer.

Certain genetic syndromes also increase the risk of developing colon cancer. What you eat may play a role in your risk of colon cancer.

Colon cancer may be associated with a high-fat, low-fiber diet and red meat. Colon and rectum cancer often causes no symptoms, especially at first.

Symptoms

The following symptoms, however, may indicate colon cancer: Diarrhea, constipation, or other change in bowel habits, blood in the stool, unexplained anemia, abdominal pain and tenderness in the lower abdomen. It may also include intestinal obstruction, weight loss with no known reason, narrow stools.

Diagnosis

With proper screening, colon cancer can be detected BEFORE the development of symptoms, when it is most curable.

A rectal exam may reveal a mass in patients with rectal cancer, but not colon cancer. Imaging tests to diagnose colorectal cancer include: Colonoscopy and Sigmoidoscopy.

If your doctor learns that you do have colorectal cancer, additional tests will be done to see if the cancer has spread.

Stages

¨ Stage 0: Very early cancer on the innermost layer of the intestine Stage I: Cancer is in the inner layers of the colon

¨ Stage II: Cancer has spread through the muscle wall of the colon

¨ Stage III: Cancer has spread to the lymph nodes

¨ Stage IV: Cancer that has spread to other organs.

Treatment depends partly on the stage of the cancer. In general, treatments may include: Chemotherapy medicines to kill cancer cells; Surgery to remove cancer cells; Radiation therapy to destroy cancerous tissue.

Stage 0 colon cancer may be treated by removing the cancer cells, often during a colonoscopy; Stage II to stage IV colon cancer should receive chemotherapy after surgery and this may include cutting out the cancer, burning it (ablation), or freezing it (cryotherapy); Stages I, II, and III cancer are considered potentially curable but in most cases, stage IV cancer is not curable.

Prevention

Some evidence suggests that low-fat and high-fiber diets may reduce your risk of colon cancer. Preventive Services Task Force recommends against taking aspirin or other anti-inflammatory medicines to prevent colon cancer if you have an average risk of the disease — even if someone in your family has had the condition.

Although low-dose aspirin may help reduce your risk of other conditions, such as heart disease, it does not lower the rate of colon cancer.

© Copyright 2007 JackStowe. What you should know about cancer? Visit ward911.blogspot.com

For more articles and resources on natural healing, visit natureheal.blogspot.com

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By Steve Batchelor

Bowel cancer is also known by many as colorectal cancer. It is a common cancer, slow to develop, with over 34,000 people diagnosed in the UK each year. Over 80% of people diagnosed with bowel cancer are over 60 years old. The symptoms of the disease can include changes in bowel habits, consistent diarrhoea or constipation, blood or mucus in the faeces, tiredness and weight loss or a pain or lump in the abdomen.

The exact cause of the cancer remains unknown but there are several factors that make people at more risk. Research suggests that diet may be a factor; those with a diet high in animal fat and protein and low in fibre have an increased risk of developing bowel cancer. Also those who have a high intake of alcohol may be at greater risk. People with a history of bowel cancer in the family may have a slightly higher risk of developing the disease but only 5-10% of sufferers have family members with the same illness.

If you think you have any of the symptoms of this cancer you should visit your GP straight away as early diagnosis and treatment are important for controlling the disease. The doctor will do a physical examination and refer you to a hospital specialist if they think a cancer may be present.

There are three tests that may be conducted by hospital specialists to diagnose the cancer;

Barium enema which is a special x-ray of the large bowel where a mixture of barium and air is passed through the back passage into the bowel, the doctor can then watch the passage of the barium through the bowel on the x-ray screen and any abnormal areas can be seen.

Proctoscopy / Sigmoidoscopy is where air is pumped into the bowel and then a tube with a tiny light and camera is passed into the bowel so any abnormal areas can be seen. This test may be uncomfortable but not painful.

Colonoscopies are done when the doctor needs to see the whole length of the large bowel, the bowel must be empty and a colonoscope is passed into the bowel. This is a long flexible tube with a light and camera on the end to help show abnormal areas and swelling. During the test photos and samples of the cells on the inside of the large bowel can be taken. A sedative is usually given to make the procedure more comfortable.

Treatment depends on the stage and position of the cancer. Cancers affecting the colon and those affecting the rectum are usually treated in different ways. Patients with early stage cancer contained within the bowel wall can usually be completely cured with surgery. If the cancer has spread through the muscle of the bowel wall and into the lymph nodes there is a chance the cancer may return so chemotherapy is often done along with the surgery. People with rectal cancer may also be given radiotherapy before or after surgery.

With advanced stage bowel cancer where the cancer has spread to other parts of the body such as abdomen, liver and lungs it is not usually possible to fully cure but treatment may be able to control it for a long time, by reducing symptoms and giving a good quality of life.

Steve Batchelor is the webmaster at www.cancerhelpguides.info where you can find relevant and informative information on many different cancer types. He also recommends infogoldmine for more info on cancer treatments and care as well as many other subjects

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By Neil Day

Once colon cancer reaches the level of stage 4, this is the point, statistically, when the rates of survival decrease rapidly. The average five-year survival rate at this stage tends to be around 20 to 30 percent. Whilst these figures make the outlook look bad, an end to all hope should not be dismissed with stage 4 colon cancer. The importance of screening and early detection at this time is paramount.

If stage 4 colon cancer has been diagnosed, this means that the cancer has now manifested itself in other parts of the body. It is almost certain that the cancer has invaded the lymph node system and could possibly be found in the liver, lungs, bones and even the brain. Even at this stage, it is still possible for people to live past the projected five-year period. It all depends on the location of the spread of the stage 4 colon cancer. However, overall, the prognosis for stage 4 survival is not overly optimistic.

Even now, when stage 4 colon cancer has been diagnosed, there are several medical procedures and treatments that can be used to lessen symptoms. In areas where tumors can be removed, surgery can be performed to remove these tumors. If surgery isn’t an option, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are often used to help. Whilst there may not be a ‘cure’ for stage 4 colon cancer, doctors strive to help those diagnosed to live their lives, if not a little longer, then at least a little more comfortably.

Prevention is of paramount importance in ensuring that people do not end up with stage 4 colon cancer. This in itself is not going to prove 100% effective for everyone, but to help avoid this cancer, here are a few things that people can do:

Reduce the risks. Not all of the risks can be removed. Some can though, and they simply involve changing your lifestyle habits. Smoking, over indulgence of alcohol and a diet that is high in fat and low in fiber are all risks that can be eliminated. Other personal risk factors that can be addressed are obesity and lack of exercise.

Undertake a screening program. The normal check up procedure of screening starts around the age of 50. However, if the risks are deemed high in a person, then screening will start at an earlier stage. Both men and women are prone to colon cancer, so both can expect to have their physicians request screening exams every few years.

The importance of screening programs and risk reduction are highlighted by the fact that symptoms of colon cancer do not generally appear until the later stages. The best form of defense can be installed by making these two things a priority. By doing so, one can help to reduce the chances of stage 4 colon cancer forming.

Stage 4 colon cancer is not good and if diagnosed with this cancer, it doesn’t mean that all hope is lost. With the proper medical treatment and care, the chances of beating the five-year survival rate could be improved. Avoiding this situation in the first place by employing the combination of preventative measures and undergoing regular screenings is obviously the best step to take. These actions alone won’t guarantee that you won’t reach stage 4 colon cancer, but they will help in decreasing the chances for advancement of the colon cancer.

Would you be able to recognise any of the signs or symptoms of colon cancer? For a wide range of information about colon cancer visit www.coloncancersigns.info RIGHT NOW. It could literally mean the difference between life and death.

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