Be Vigilant And Know The Risks Of Colon Cancer
Rectal cancer does not happen overnight. First, polyps appear in the lower six inches of the colon (the rectum). These polyps are precancerous growths that appear as bumps or abscesses. Sometimes they are benign, but other times they mutate into cancer, which begins working its way through the rectal wall, into surrounding lymph nodes and into other organ tissue, wreaking all sorts of havoc. While living a healthy lifestyle helps prevent cancer in general, the only way to effectively combat colon cancer is to get screened consistently after 50 years of age.
The actual cause of cancer of the rectum has not been pinpointed, but certain risk factors have been clearly identified. Age is one, as 90% of colorectal cancer diagnoses come after age 50. According to the American Cancer Society, smokers are six times’ more likely to develop colorectal cancer than nonsmokers. Family history also plays a role, for as many as 1 in 5 people with this type of cancer have family members who also were diagnosed with it. Inherited syndromes is at 5%, with inherited syndromes like familial adenomatus polyposis or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, and obese individuals are four times’ more likely to develop cancer of the rectum, says the American College of Gastroenterology. Perhaps the biggest risk of metastatic colon cancer is the lack of early screening.
There are several stages of rectal cancer, which must be determined to recommend proper colon cancer treatment. Stage 0 is the early discovery of polyps, which are located in the innermost lining of the rectum. During Stage I, the cancer begins to spread into the inner wall of the rectum. By Stage II, the cancer has spread out to nearby tissue just beyond the thick rectal wall and in Stage III the lymph nodes of the body’s immune system have been infiltrated. During Stage IV, the cancer moves through the infected lymph nodes to other parts of the body, like the liver and the lungs. If a doctor catches the colon cancer symptoms early, then the polyps can be easily removed for a 90 to 100% five-year-survival-rate. However, once the cancer reaches Stage IV, that rate drops down to 7%.
During Stage 0 cancer, colon polyps can be removed during a routine colonoscopy procedure. If Stage I rectal cancer is diagnosed, surgery is the most viable option. If the tumors are small, they can be removed through the anus without an abdominal incision. If the tumors are larger and/or Stage II is reached, then a low anterior resection, an abdominoperineal resection or a colo-anal anastomosis may need to be done. The affected portion of the colon is removed and the healthy portions can be reattached. During late Stage II or Stage III, doctors will often prescribe chemotherapy or radiation therapy to eradicate migrating cells and reduce the chance of recurring cancer. The use of chemo and RT reduce deaths by about 30%.
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Tags: bowel cancer test, capsule endoscopy, colon cancer recurrence, colon cancer treatment, colon polyps, fecal occult blood test
