Avoiding Colon Cancer

Colon cancer is known by many other names including bowel cancer and colorectal cancer, but whatever name it is called, the result is the same. A person who has this disease will suffer constipation, diarrheic, abdominal pain and anemia among other symptoms. But there are actually many ways to prevent having colon cancer. A basic lifestyle change that involves your diet and physical activities is one of the most effective ways to avoid having this disease. You should note that eating foods that are low in fiber but are high in fat every day increases your risks of having colon cancer. Likewise, eating a lot of fruits and vegetables can prevent colon cancer because these foods are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can fight cancer.

Smoking and drinking should also be avoided if you want to prevent colon cancer. Note that stopping these habits will also prevent other kinds of diseases such as cancer of the lungs and heart problems. Lessening your alcohol intake may do wonders for your health and reduce the risks of complications. On the other hand, smoking increases the risk of dying by thirty to forty percent for people who already have colon cancer so quitting this habit can actually save your life.

Aside from being conscious of your daily intake of food and avoiding bad habits that can be detrimental to your heath, having a pro-active lifestyle can also prevent all forms of cancer including colon cancer. It is believed that just doing thirty minute of physical activity everyday can significantly reduce the risks of acquiring colon cancer. The reason for this is because exercise will help keep your weight under control and keep your metabolism at a normal rate to keep your bowel movement regular. Some researchers also observed that around fifteen percent of colon cancer cases could easily have been prevented if those affected had taken the time to exercise everyday.

As in any other cancer cases, colon cancer should also be detected early to prevent it from becoming worse. Because of this, it is essential that you undertake screening tests regularly because colon cancer has no symptoms at its early stages. Note that screening tests are especially important for people who are in middle but younger people are not exempted particularly if they have a family history of having colon cancer. It is also recommended that people who are between the ages of forty to fifty undertake the faecal occult blood test every two years to be on the sage side.

To conduct a faecal occult blood test, you need to collect samples of your faeces so that it can be tested in a laboratory for some traces of blood. The reason why this test is important is because small bowel tumors can turn into cancer if it is left untreated. These tumors actually bleed in your bowel but it does not bleed enough for you to notice so laboratory tests are required.

Another way to detect if you have colon cancer is through colonoscopy. This is also the most effective way to determine whether you have colon cancer or not because it allows your doctors to examine your whole bowel for signs of tumors. This procedure is normally conducted in hospitals and you need to clean out your bowels before you can take this test.

Michael Russell

Your independent guide to Colon Cancer

Colon Cancer Information

Colon cancer is more commonly known as bowel cancer, this is where there is a malignant growth in the colon. Early symptoms of colon cancer can include a change in bowel movements either constipation or diahoerria , pain in the lower abdomen, blood mixed in with the faeces. These symptoms are fairly mundane, so often go un-noticed causing the tumor to grow undetected, inperticulally as people still find it hard to discuss there bowel movements with anybody especially there Doctor. Occasionally there are no symptoms until the tumor has got so large that it causes a blockage in the intestine or Could possibly even perforate the intestine. Some forms of colon cancer can be genetic/hereditary however in some cases of colon cancer the precise reason people Contract the disease is unknown. Diet may be cause of colon cancer, eating a lot of meat, too much fatty foods and not enough fiber, fruit and vegetables all add up to a un-healthy diet so increasing the risk of colon cancer.

The tests carried out to diagnose colon cancer include a sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy. A sigmoidoscopy is when a camera is inserted into the anus to examine the rectum and the sigmoid colon. A colonoscopy is when a flexible fibre-optic camera Called a colonscope is put into the body via the anus and fed along the colon. Instruments may be fed down the colonscope So this is how a biopsy would be performed. Colon cancer can often occur with other diseases of the colon, for example ulcerative colitis.

The chance of a cure for colon cancer depends on whether you get a early enough diagnosis. Surgery is the best chance of Survival and sometimes radiotherapy and chemotherapy may also be offered, but there would be no guarenties of a very long term future. The surgical procedure involves a general anesthetic and the diseased part of the colon is removed plus a bit extra on both sides to make sure they have it all. The amount of colon that has to be removed varies from person to person but the Majority of people will end up with a colostomy. This is where a small inscision is made in the stomach and the healthy colon Is pulled through it and secured this is called a stoma. The stoma makes it possible for the person to still have there bowels opened by means of a colostomy bag which is attached to the stoma usually by a adhesive. These bags are disposable and Keep all smells etc in [until you change them when the bowel has worked]. The colostomy is sometimes only temporary depending on how much bowel was removed. If it is to be only temporary it could be there for up to six months just to allow the colon to heal without faeces being past through it. If the colostomy is to be permanent than the anus may be sewn up whilst the person is in theatre having there diseased colon removed and the stoma made.

Colon cancer is still a large killer but mostly because people do not get it diagnosed early enough. The survival rate is much better when diagnoses are made early as treatment can begin and may not end up being so evasive. It is a shame to die from embarrassment is it not.

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The Future of Colon Cancer Treatment

Future study of colorectal cancer will refine our understanding of the genetics of the disease. This in turn will lead to earlier identification and treatment of high-risk persons. The future may possibly bring the use of genetic interventions to interrupt the adenoma-carcinoma sequence.

Increased awareness of colorectal cancer by the public and by private insurers, government agencies, and medical personnel will result in better use of available screening techniques. Development of preventive drug strategies against colorectal cancer, particularly with drugs that reduce polyp formation or prevent polyp progression to cancer, promises to be a fruitful field of endeavor.

There is ample reason to expect refinement of diagnostic and staging tests for the disease, perfection of surgical and nonsurgical techniques for treatment of large bowel cancer and its complications, and improving chemotherapeutic treatment by means of more effective and less toxic drugs.

A number of molecular markers for colorectal cancer can be measured but it is not yet clear that they have prognostic value or therapeutic implications. Measures of DNA synthesis or cell division are of uncertain value as clinical decision-making tools. Measurement of thymidilate synthase activity in colorectal cancer tissue is one of several markers under investigation as a prognostic indicator.

This could be useful in making decisions regarding the use of adjuvant chemotherapy for certain patients, especially those with stage II or B tumors. Another goal would be to collect a set of markers for cancer risk for an individual who has adenomatous polyps. Presumably, such testing could reflect exposure to colon carcinogens and help define the outlook for an individual. This in turn could narrow the prospective use of screening and diagnostic procedures such as colonoscopy.

Techniques to identify micrometastases in lymph node tissue are in development. These include special stains for cytokeratin, which can identify small clusters or single malignant cells in lymph node tissue. Another method uses a technique known as PCR for detection of CEA in resected lymph nodes. PCR is a technique which permits rapid reproduction of large quantities of short segments of DNA or RNA.

Other techniques include the identification in lymph node tissue of oncogene, or tumor suppressor gene mutations, which occur in the primary tumor. Such techniques may be of use in reclassifying patients whose lesions are stages as II or B by conventional means and in selecting them for potentially life-saving adjuvant chemotherapy. Large clinical trials will be needed to determine if identification of micrometastases by these methods indeed leads to more appropriate treatment and improved progress.

Expression of the enzyme COX-2 by colorectal cancers is highly variable. Greater expressions of COX-2 by tumors are associated with lymph node metastasis, advanced stage of cancer, and poorer long-term outlook for patients. Thus, there could be potential future application of this test as a means of staging and prognostication.

Future study of colon cancer will refine our understanding of the genetics of the disease. This in turn will lead to earlier identification and treatment of high-risk persons. The future may possibly bring the use of genetic interventions to interrupt the adenoma-carcinoma sequence. For more information visit http://www.105coloncancer.com