Colon Cancer News - What You Must Know About Detection

Colon Cancer Often Begins As Colon Polyps

Colon polyps are a clusters of cells. While benign at first, some of these polyps may become cancerous over time. Doctors routinely perform a colonoscopy to check for polyps once a patient is over 50 and they may advocate the removal of polyps, if found. While there is no guaranteed way to prevent polyps from turning cancerous, doctors say that early colonoscopy screening and a healthy lifestyle are the best ways to beat this deadly cancer.

Cancer Risk Factors

There are many important risk factors for cancer of the colon that makes someone a good candidate for colon cancer screening. Age is one factor, as about 90% of people diagnosed with this cancer are over 50. People are also more at-risk if they have ever had colorectal cancer, polyps, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, diabetes, acromegaly (a growth hormone disorder) or radiation therapy as part of another cancer treatment. Some studies have shown that a greater risk exists for people who eat diets low in fiber and high in fat/calories, or diets high in red meat/processed meats. Obese individuals and smokers have an increased chance of developing and dying from this type of cancer too. As with most health conditions, genetics also play a role in many cases.

The Cause Of Colon Cancer

Colon cancer is the uncontrolled growth, division and replication of altered cells, which stack up in the intestinal lining. In later stages, the cancer can penetrate the colon walls, spreading to lymph nodes and other organs. Precancerous growths, called colon polyps, appear as mushroom-shaped bumps or recessed lesions in the colon walls. There are three main types of colon polyps: inflammatory, adenoma and hyperplastic. Inflammatory polyps often come after having ulcerative colitis and are usually removed because they often become cancerous if left unattended. Adenomas are also removed to avoid cancer development. By contrast, hyperplastic polyps are rarely a cause for concern.

Surgery Is The Primary Treatment Of Advanced Colon Cancer

Treatment for advanced colon cancer is to remove the affected portion of the colon. Sometimes the healthy portions of the colon can simply be reconnected, while other times a bag must be inserted to collect waste. In the early stages, cancerous polyps can be removed with the colonoscope during screening or through non-invasive laparoscopic surgery. Metastatic colon cancer usually requires chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy to remove any leftover cancer that has migrated through the body. Additionally, an exciting new field called "targeted drug therapy" uses the drugs bevacizumab (Avastin), cetuximab (Erbitux) and panitumumab (Vectibix) to prevent tumors from developing new blood vessels (thereby cutting off the nutrient/oxygen flow to cancerous cells) and to inhibit the chemical signal that causes these harmful cells to reproduce.

Learn about natural colon cleansing and the importance of colon cancer screening:
Natural Colon Cleansing
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The message on Katie Couric's Notebook: Colon Cancer video may save your life: "If you don't get screened for yourself, do it for the people who love you."