Colon Cancer

Colon Cancer, or colorectal cancer, is a common form of cancer. It affects the lower part of the digestive tract, the large intestine (colon) and rectum. Originating from the lining of the digestive system, these tumors can first arise as a polyp and then later develop into a cancer that can invade the wall of the intestine and local structures and eventually spread (metastasize) to lymph nodes or distant organs.

Because cancers of the colon are common and can sometimes be treated if caught early enough, screening for colorectal cancer, such as sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy, are done frequently as people get older. These screening exams can both detect the cancer early as well as detect lesions that may turn into cancer in the future.

Below are several topics about colorectal cancer, from symptoms to treatment.

Colon Cancer Topics:

What Is It? Cancer of the colon is a common cancer, affecting millions of people annually. Learn more about it here.

What Are The Risk Factors? What Causes It? Learn more about those factors while increase your risk for developing this cancer at some point in your life. Knowing your risks helps to avoid modifiable risks and to be more active in prevention and screening.

• Colon Polyps: One of the common risk factors, the presence of polyps in the colon is a risk for future development of cancer. However, these can be detected and treated on routine preventative screening tests. Learn more here.

Colon Cancer Prevention: While not all risk factors are modifiable or preventable, there are steps you can take to decrease your risk, to catch risky lesions early and to improve your chances that this cancer will not become a problem.

• Colonoscopy: One of the common procedures used to screen for and diagnose cancer of the colon, this testing can also help treat early lesions and prevent cancer.
• Sigmoidoscopy: A more limited form of the screening test of the colon, like colonoscopy, this test helps in diagnosis of cancers in the distal colon.

What Are The Symptoms? If you have a cancer in the colon, what are the likely symptoms? How does it present? What should I look out for?

How Is It Diagnosed? What tests, studies or procedures are used to make the diagnosis?

How Is It Treated?: Treatment, including various surgical procedures and the need for chemotherapy, depends on several factors including location and the stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis.