Colon Cancer: A Disease With The Guts To Kill!

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is one of the leading causes of death across the globe, particularly in Western countries such as the United States. In fact, in year 2008, 13 percent (13%) or 7.6 million of the total deaths of people worldwide is due to cancer. Among more than hundred types of malignancies, Colorectal Cancer lands at the fourth spot of the most common cancers among men and women.

Basically, the colon serves as a reservoir for the feces, before they left the body, while the rectum is the distal end of the colon, adjacent to the anus. These parts of the digestive tract are the most important origins of colon cancer, Colorectal cancer is the abnormal growth of cells or tumor formation in the large intestine or colon and rectum. These cells may spread (metastasize) and damage other organs and tissues in the body. Consequently, an invasion of cancer cells into other body organs causes death by multiple organ impairment.

The most common causes of cancer are as follows

genetic or hereditary;

high-fat diet

low-fiber diet (low vegetable and fruit consumption)

polyps (benign growths), which are not removed from the colon, and

Chronic Ulcerative Colitis

Cancer in the colon and rectum is also believed in some cases to be a complication of chronic colitis (bowel inflammation) and from polyps which are not removed. A low-fiber diet usually results in bad bowel movements decreasing the body's ability to eliminate carcinogens and other waste. Another cause of cancer is a high-fat diet. Various studies indicate that the breakdown of fats can result in the production of free radicals and carcinogens which are substances that can cause cancer. Other studies show that people with a family history of colon cancer at high risk for the disease.

An individual with colorectal cancer will experience signs and symptoms that are commonly observed in other intestinal disorders and some of which are nonspecific. These symptoms include:

diarrhea (constipation and thin caliber stools)

Abdominal pain, bloating or cramps

sudden weight loss

fresh or old red blood, dark blood in stools leading to anemia

body weakness or fatigue; and

tightness of breath

A colonoscopy and GI series are some of the particular diagnostic tests conducted to determine the presence of colon cancer. A biopsy is the confirmatory test for cancer. This procedure is done by taking tissue samples of the colon during colonoscopy and examining the tissue with a microscope. Other diagnostic tests may be performed to check the spread of colon cancer cells to other organs in the body, such as CAT scan of the lungs and abdomen, abdominal ultrasound or chest radiography. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a marker of cancer can also be used to determine the metastasis of cancer through blood tests.

Moreover, the most definitive treatment for colorectal cancer is surgery, in which the affected bowel is cut and removed and the unaffected parts are connected. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy may also be part of the treatment plan depending on the stage of cancer.

In general, there are treatments for colon cancer, but they are meant only to treat the signs and symptoms. Moreover, cancer is not curable. A person may have a few months or years to live after diagnosis of cancer, but even with palliative treatment one can still run the risk of premature death. Like all other cancers, colorectal cancer is an infamous disease that can lead one to an early grave. However, the awareness about this disease that makes people conscientious about their health