Colon cancer is known to be one of the most common cancers in the western world. In the United States, colon cancer is the second cause of death from cancer only surpass by lung cancer. More women die of colon cancer than breast cancer. Although not many do pay attention to the risk factors and symptoms. One reason may be due to the false assumptions that the only way to get rid of colon cancer is to become a vegetarian. It is important to notify people about the symptoms, risk factors, and how hazardous colon cancer can be, but it is even more important to educate the people on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells are separated without any control and are able to enter other tissues. There are over 100 different types of cancers and they are mostly named in the organ or type of cell where they initiate. For instance, cancer that starts in the colon is called “colon cancer”. If the cancer is not treated or detected, it could lead to serious illness and even death. There are trillions of body cells in the human body. During the early stages of an individual’s life, the cells split rapidly, which lets an individual develop. Once a person is an adult, the cells only separate to patch-up injuries.
When the cells start to separate without control, in a certain part of the body, cancer is developed. The growth of a cancer cell is different from a normal cell growth, because instead of dying, like the early years of an individual, cancer cells remain growing and form new abnormal cells. Cells are converted into cancer because of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage. When the DNA gets damaged with a normal cell, the cell either repairs the damage or the cell dies. When the DNA gets damaged with a cancer cell, the cell damaged is not repaired and the cell does not die like it should.
Instead, it starts building new cells the body does not need. There are only two basic types of tumors: benign and malignant. A benign tumor is considered to be non-cancerous. This tumor begins at a slow rate and is usually harmless and does not spread to different parts of the body. However, the benign tumor may also result into a serious illness or death because their growth affects the healthy tissues to produce and increase. When the tumor is too large it could be surgically removed or preserve the surrounding tissue. Once the tumor is removed, the tumor frequently does not return.
Malignant tumor are considered a cancerous tumor because it grows at faster rate than benign and may cause serious health problems and death. These cancerous tumors spread to other body tissue and destroys them. Colon cancer also known as colorectal cancer starts to develop in the colon or rectum. They can also be mentioned separately as colon cancer or rectum cancer depending where the cancer develops. Both cancers have many effects in common. They both have an important role in the digestive system. To have a better understanding of colon cancer, it helps to know how the digestive system works.
When the food is chewed and swallowed, the food passes through the esophagus into the stomach. Once the food is in the stomach, it is partially broken into pieces, and then sent to the small intestine. When the food is in the intestine it continues to absorb and break down the food. Once the food is finished in the small intestine then it joins the colon. The colon starts to absorb water and salt from the food matter, which then works as a storage for waste matter. What is left of the waste matter then goes to the rectum the final part of the digestive system, where it is stored until it passes out of the body through the anus.
For most people, colon cancer starts to develop slowly throughout the years. Before the cancer starts to develop. It begins as a non-cancerous polyps tumor on the colon or rectum. This tumor can be either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). When cancer starts to form in a polyp it would sooner or later begin to grow in the rectum or colon. Cancer cells start to grow out a wall and then grow into blood vessels or lymph vessels. Lymph vessels are small, slim that transmits away fluids and wastes.
It first starts to exhaust close to the lymph nodes, which are round-shaped balls from the immune system that help’s fight the body from any infection. When the cancer cells begin to multiply into the blood or lymph vessels, it could spread to different parts of the body, for instance the liver. There are several risk factors for colon cancer. The first risk factor is age. Approximately nine out of ten people older than fifty are in risk of colon cancer. A person with colon cancer history is at risk of attracting another type of cancer in the rectum or colon. Another risk factor is someone’s diet.
Eating red meat can increase the chances of colon cancer. Lack of exercise is another risk factor that can also increase the chances of colon cancer. The symptoms for colon cancer include the following: fatigue, rectal bleeding, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. During the early period of colon cancer most people because it all depends on the size and grow in the large intestine. It is important to contact a doctor when noticing any of the symptoms. It is very important to detect cancer early, and to begin the treatment so science can try to kill the cancer before it begins to spread or grow.
Once a person turns fifty, it is important to start doing a screening to prevent the risk of cancer. Maintaining a good healthy diet, and exercising at least thirty minutes daily at an appropriate pace. Eating food with high fiber such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grains may play an important role to prevent cancer. Another high risk of colon cancer is consuming excessive alcohol. Another prevention is for an individual is to stop smoking. Life after colon cancer can be difficult for some people. For most people a surgery is a common treatment. A colostomy surgery is considered necessary if the cancer did any damaged to the colon.
The doctors open the abdomen to get rid of the cancerous tumor in and around the colon and then the large intestine would empty the waste outside of the abdomen into a connected bag, called a pouch. Sometimes this bag is only temporally, which means that the large intestine would be reconnected. Whether its temporary or permanent, it is easy for some people to get use to the bag. A common side effect to this surgery is dietary changes. MayoClinic. com indicates that food such as cabbage, beer, beans, onions and cauliflower can lead to gas after colon cancer.
Another type of food such as cereal, seeds, nuts, and raw vegetables, may cause the patient not to digest completely after the surgery. The patient needs to watch what he or her eats to know which food may cause an uncomfortable digestive issue after the surgery. Although colon cancer does not generate as much attention as other cancers, it is one of the most dangerous cancers out in the world. By maintaining a good physical activity, not eating masses of red meat, eating more vegetables and fruits, sustaining a good body weight, and avoiding smoking and excessive drinking, one lowers his or her chances and moves towards an enjoyable life.
REFRENCES “What Is Colorectal Cancer? ” WebMD. WebMD. Web. 15 May 2012. <http://www. webmd. com/colorectal-cancer/guide/what-is-colorectal-cancer>. Couric, K. (2005). American cancer society’s complete guide to colorectal cancer. Atlanta: American Cancer Society, Inc. Adrouny A. R. (2010). Understanding colon cancer. Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi. Colon Cancer Alliance. ” Colon Cancer Alliance. Web. 12 May 2012. <http://ccalliance. org/>.