How to diagnose colon cancer

A recent statistic shows that each year 12.7 million people discover they have cancer and it is claimed by about 7.6 million people. Out of this, one-third can be cured through early diagnosis and treatment. Colon cancer is the development of cancer in the colon, which is located at the base of the Digestive Tract. Colon cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer. However, despite being fatal in the later stages, certain types of colon cancer can be localized and possibly cured if early signs and symptoms are recognized and followed by proper treatment.

Colon cancer begins when clumps of small, benign polyps, which are mushroom-shaped outgrowths on the wall of the colon, They become cancerous over time. Polyps are common, especially in the elderly, though all polyps may not develop into cancerous tumors since they cannot be identified as precancerous merely by observing, doctors prefer to remove and analyze any polyp found during screening.

A study conducted by New England Journal of Medicine discovered that “patients who received colonoscopies and had pre-cancerous growths removed, were half more likely to die from colon cancer than people in the general population who were not screened.”

High-Risk People:

Certain groups of people are more likely to develop colon cancer and therefore should get themselves regularly screened, for the removal of these tumors. Around 90% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed after the age of 50, and the chance of getting colorectal cancer increases with each passing decade. African-Americans, it has been observed, are more likely to be at a higher risk. Based on gender, it has been observed that men are more susceptible to colon cancer, as opposed to women of the same age.

Chances of colon cancer increase if a family member has been diagnosed with the same. About 20% of people with colon cancer have a first-degree or second-degree relative who also had colon cancer. The risks of cancer may increase due to the inheritance of genes, shared environmental factors or a combination of these influences.

Two most common inherited syndromes linked with this type of cancers are- familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP-where the affected family members will develop multitudes of colon polyps starting during their teens.) and hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC-where affected family members can develop colon polyps and cancers, usually in the right colon, in their 30s to 40s).

Colon cancer symptoms:

The colon cancer symptoms are non-specific, which means that there is no telltale sign that the cause is exclusively due to cancer. These symptoms can occur due to varied conditions and diseases as well. Symptoms vary largely depending on the location of the tumor in the bowel, and whether it has spread elsewhere in the body (metastatic colorectal cancer).

Colon Cancer Symptoms

Colon Cancer symptoms are nothing to take lightly, here is a list of these symptoms:

• Disruption in bowel habits, such as, severe diarrhea, constipation, that lasts for more than a few days
• Abdominal bloating, cramps or discomfort
• Loss of appetite and unintended weight loss
• Blood in stools
• Weakness or fatigue
• Nausea
• Decrease in stool girth
• Passing excessive amounts of gas
• Vomiting
• Changes in stool consistency

Other diseases such as ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome (spastic colon), Crohn’s disease, diverticulosis, and peptic ulcer disease can have colon cancer symptoms alike to colorectal cancer. If you find at least 3 signs of colon cancer as stated above, consult a doctor right away. Consult a doctor even if you have doubt.

Colon cancer symptoms vary according to where in the large intestine the tumor is located; the right colon is wider, and their cancers can grow to large sizes before they cause any abdominal symptoms. Typically, right-sided cancers cause iron deficiency anemia due to the slow loss of blood over a long period. The left colon is approximately narrower than the right colon; therefore, cancers of the left colon can cause incomplete or complete bowel obstruction.

Any suspicion of colon cancer must first be confirmed before treated. Doctors and trained professional can opt for multiple methods for diagnosis, for example, a colonoscopy or a biopsy of abnormal areas. In a biopsy, small pieces of tissue are extracted with a special instrument passed through the scope. The biopsy samples are then examined under a microscope for cancer cells.

Certain cases of cancer might not even lead to colon cancer symptoms or might develop after several years. Since it is unreliable to depend only upon the onset of symptoms, regular screening must also be taken by high-risk people. Colorectal cancer screening is the testing of asymptomatic individuals for the presence of colorectal cancer or Adenomatous Polyps. Screening for colorectal cancer has been considered an important issue because of the ‘frequency of this malignancy and its favorable outcome if detected in early stages.’

As the age-old proverb goes, prevention is better than cure. Though hereditary factors, gender, and race cannot be controlled; certain lifestyle changes can affect the onset of cancer and cancer. Though physical activity is not directly linked to decreasing in colon cancer by biological means, it has been observed in a 2009 study that physically active individuals have a lower risk of colon cancer than those who are not.