What is Colon Cancer?
Colon cancer refers to cancer of the large intestine while rectal cancer is cancer of the last few inches of the colon. Together, cancers of this region are called colorectal cancers.While cases of colon cancer often appear as small, benign clumps of cells but if left untreated, some of these clumps (or polyps) turn into colon cancers. A major challenge with colon cancer is that polyps are generally small and most patients do not have any obvious symptoms. That is why it is extremely important to be screened regularly so as to prevent the development of colon cancer.
Risks of Developing Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer is not contagious but there are some people who are more likely to develop the disease than others. Some of the major factors that increase a person’s risk of colorectal disease include:
- high fat intake
- family history
- polyps in large intestine
- inflammatory bowel diseases
- chronic ulcerative colitis
A diet that is rich in fat makes people more vulnerable to colorectal cancer. That is because fat is digested in the small intestine and when there is more intake of fat, there is a greater risk of the formation of carcinogens. On the other hand, diets that are rich in vegetables and high-finer foods that contain less fat can help counter the effect of such carcinogens.
Who should be Screened for Colon Cancer and When?
- All men and women 50 years and older should be regularly screened for colon cancer.
- Those with a family history or personal history of colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease should be screened for colon cancer. In addition, those who experience symptoms that may be considered as high risk for this disease should also be screened 50 years and after.
- There are several individual screening methods that should be discussed with healthcare professionals. Each test has its own advantages and disadvantages and in order to determine which test is best for you, it is best to discuss in depth the effectiveness, risks and costs of the methods available.
- The prevalence of colon cancer among African Americans is higher therefore screening in this particular segment should begin at the age of 45 years.