Colorectal cancer

Colorectal Cancer Colorectal cancer, also known as colon cancer, is any cancer that affects the colon and the rectum. About 1 in 21 men and 1 in 23 women in the United States will develop colorectal cancer during their lifetime. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, and the third for men. However, due to advances in screening techniques and improvements in treatments, the death rate from colorectal cancer has been decreasing. Colorectal cancer may be benign, or non-cancerous, or malignant.

Colon Cancer Symptoms Signs and symptoms of colon cancer tend not to be specific. The signs and symptoms can occur due to a number of different conditions. When colon cancer is detected in its early stages, it may not have even caused symptoms. Symptoms can also vary according to the specific location within the colon where the tumor is located.Some symptoms and signs of colon cancer are: ●rectal bleeding or blood in the stool, ●dark-colored stool, ●change in bowel habits, ●change in stool consistency, ●constipation, ●diarrhea, Causes In most cases, it's not clear what causes colon cancer. Doctors know that colon cancer occurs when healthy cells in the colon develop errors in their DNA. Healthy cells grow and divide in a way to keep your body functioning normally. But when a cell's DNA is damaged and becomes cancerous, cells continue to divide — even when new cells aren't needed. As the cells

accumulate, they form a tumor. With time, the cancer cells can grow to invade and destroy normal tissue nearby. And cancerous cells can travel to other parts of the body to form deposits there (metastasis).

Treatment Treatment will depend on several factors, including the size, location, and stage of the cancer and

the

current

overall

state

of

health

of

the

patient.Treatment

options

include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery.

Surgery for colorectal cancer This is the most common treatment. The affected malignant tumors and any nearby lymph nodes are removed, to reduce the risk of the cancer spreading.The bowel is usually sewn back together, but sometimes the rectum is removed completely and a colostomy bag is attached for drainage. If the cancer is diagnosed early enough, surgery may successfully remove it. If surgery does not stop the cancer, it will ease the symptoms.

Chemotherapy Chemotherapy involves using a medicine or chemical to destroy the cancerous cells. It is commonly

used

for colon

cancer treatment.

Before

surgery,

it

may

help

shrink

the tumor.Targeted therapy is a kind of chemotherapy that specifically targets the proteins that encourage the development of some cancers. They may have fewer side effects than other types of chemotherapy. A study has found that patients with advanced colon cancer who receive chemotherapy and who have a family history of colorectal cancer have a significantly lower likelihood of cancer recurrence and death.

Radiation therapy Radiation therapy uses high energy radiation beams to destroy the cancer cells and to prevent them from multiplying. This is more commonly used for rectal cancer treatment. It may be used before surgery in an attempt to shrink the tumor.

Risk factors Factors that may increase your risk of colon cancer include: ●Older age. The great majority of people diagnosed with colon cancer are older than 50. ●African-American race. African-Americans have a greater risk of colon cancer than do people of other races. ●A personal history of colorectal cancer or polyps. If you've already had colon cancer or adenomatous polyps, you have a greater risk of colon cancer in the future. ●Inflammatory intestinal conditions. Chronic inflammatory diseases of the colon, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn'sdisease, can increase your risk of colon cancer.

Progress israther slow for those battling the disease.If you or your family member is living with colorectal cancer, speak with your doctor about ways you can participate in research through clinical trials to help increase our knowledge and improve our therapies for this difficult disease.