Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Get the brief details about colon cancer

By Tyron Raugh

Cancer is the growth of too many cells in a certain part of the body, and depending on which part of the body it occurs, it is given different names. An important organ that aids in the digestion of food in humans in the colon, commonly known as the large intestine. 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 cancer has become a common ailment 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. These cells then form a mass, better known as tumors. Tumors are called benign or malignant, depending on how much the cells affect other regions of he body. Benign tumors do not spread or invade any other part of the body. Malignant tumors on the other hand keep dividing uncontrollable and can invade other parts of the body and destroy the healthy cells in the body.

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.

There are many symptoms that are linked with the presence of colon cancer but having one or more of them does not necessarily mean colon cancer is present. Symptoms like bleeding from the rectum should never be ignored, but they do not mean you have colon cancer. Changes in bowel habits, pain in the abdomen or rectum and a feeling that bowel movement cannot be completed are also symptoms. 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.

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