Signs of Colon Rectal Cancer
March 5th, 2009 | by Clare |
Cancer is the growth of too many cells in a certain parts of the body, and depending on which part of the body it occurs, it is given different names. The colon, better known as the large intestine, is a part of the body that assists in digestion. It is the last organ involved in the digestive tract. If cancer cells form in the inner lining of this colon, or at the rectum, that kind of cancer is called colon cancer. Colon rectal cancer has beome an everyday disease in today’s world.
All cells in a human body undergo the process of life and death. This growth is considered cancerous when it occurs against the natural rhythm and cannot be controlled by the immune system. This uncontrolled growth then produces a collection of cells known as a tumor. Tumors can be either benign or malignant. If the tumor is benign it will not spread to other parts of your body. Cells that keep on dividing unmanageably that attack other parts of the body destroying healthy cells are called malignant tumors.
There are many known risk factors that may increase the chance of colon cancer occurring in a human. Those over the age of 40 are said to be at a higher risk of developing colon cancer, and colon cancer has rarely been diagnosed in those under forty. Having a family history of colon cancer can also increase the chances of developing the disease. Other factors like having had benign tumors or polyps removed before, having a diet that is high in fat but low in fiber and having another illness that may increase chances of developing colon cancer are all considered to be risk of getting colon cancer.
Having one of these risk factors does not mean you will definitely get colon cancer. Bleeding from the rectum does not always mean colon cancer but this bleeding should never be ignored. Other symptoms to keep an eye out for include changes in bowel habits and pain in the abdomen or rectum region. Again having these symptoms does not mean you have colon cancer but they should be taken seriously and a doctor has to be consulted to find out what may be causing these irregularities.
Researchers have gone far in identifying ways to cure colon cancer, and success rates are very high. Treatments for colon cancer include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, and usually a combination of these therapies is given to a patient to increase the efficiency of treatment.