I am sure you have heard of colon cancer, but do you know what it is and do you know what causes it? Colon cancer – also known as colorectal cancer – is the unrestrained expansion of cancer cells on the inner lining of the colon. Now if you forget what a colon is (which is normal, since we all aren’t medical students), it is simply the part of the large intestine that extracts moisture from one’s digested food before it is excreted. A common ailment in Western societies, this type of cancer has taken the lives of many, resulting in broken distraught families.

Now let’s take a closer look at what causes this terrible disease. Notably, we owe this knowledge to the biochemist Dr. Warburg who discovered the cause and prevention of this type of cancer. He states that plainly, colon cancer is caused by the lack of oxygen reaching the colon cells of the body. Developing later in this process are adenomatous polyps which also turn cancerous and in effect worsen the patient’s health. These polyps are seen on the inner walls of the colon. In addition, there are ways in which the lack of a healthy lifestyle can also increase the likelihood of developing colon cancer, which usually affects both men and women before the age of 40 years. These include smoking, which is a serious risk factor as it not only affects the lungs of the body, but many other systems as well. Obesity is another risk factor due to the fact that having a low oxygen level is prevalent in persons who are overweight. It therefore stands to reason that if a person can maintain a balanced oxygen level suitable for a healthy body and mind, then they can also decrease their risk of having a cancerous colon. This should be supplemented with a diet high in fruits and vegetables.

There are also risk factors associated with genes. In essence, adenomatous polyposis syndromes often run in families, making it much easier for a descendent to develop a cancerous colon, especially in cases with a first-degree family member with this illness. These risk factors are propelled even further if more than one relative have had the battle with colon cancer, developing it at an early age. Once the presence of colon cancer has been diagnosed, there are important additional factors which may increase its impact on the human body. Colon cancer cells use sugar as a source of energy to survive within the body and if a lot of sugars are part of the diet, then it can only pose more health problems to the patient.

All in all, there is a bright side to this grim picture; colon cancer – even though it is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the Western world – is treatable, and more importantly, preventable. Even for those individuals who are at risk because of family history, they also can take preventative measures to decrease its chances of occurring. The best thing you can do is to always know your status, live a healthy lifestyle, and stay on top of your healthcare!

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with colon cancer, be sure to investigate colon cancer and surgery on our site. You may particularly be interested in laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer, a much less invasive procedure that is often used today.

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Stress is an integral part of most people’s lives. But when that stress becomes distress, it can have serious effects on the efficiency of the colon, even to the point of it becoming cancerous.

Traumatic stress reduces the body’s ability to protect itself from attack by infections, and from diseases such as colon cancer. When a trauma is experienced, the body has received a ‘shock’ from which it normally recovers. However, a stressful experience can have the effect of disabling the normal functioning of the body, so that specific organs, such as the colon, are attacked to the point where recovery is lessened. The immune system, which fights infection, is also weakened when you come under stress.

The colon responds strongly to various stimuli, like foods or stress; and while these do not bother most people, they can have a negative effect on others.

One of the organs that is vulnerable to disease is the colon. Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is associated with stressful conditions, and if not treated, can lead to serious health problems.

In people with IBS, stress and other strong emotions can strongly affect the colon in a negative way. As with many other organs, it, too, has many nerves that connect it to the brain. The heart, lungs and colon are partly controlled by the autonomic nervous system, and this responds to stress. That’s why when you are frightened, your heart beats faster, your blood pressure rises, or you may gasp for breath. The colon also responds to stress.

Let me list some things that have been linked with a worsening of Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms: eating large meals can lead to bloating from gas in the colon; having to take certain medicines; foods, such as, wheat, rye, barley, chocolate, milk products, or alcohol can exasperate the problem; drinks with caffeine in them, such as, coffee, tea, or colas; and the one we are concerned about in this brief article – situations of stress, living in the midst of conflict, or even emotional upsets, can all lead towards a worsening colon condition.

However, there is help available. You can inform yourself about this condition, and perhaps make simple life-style changes that could improve your health, and save you a lot of trouble in the future. Just click on the link below to see other actions you might be willing to take to spare you and your family unnecessary worry.

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Another helpful technique in diagnosing colon cancer is the stool-guaiac test or occult stool blood test which helps the doctor detect blood in your stool that is invisible to the naked eye. You should have one annually after the age of 50.

The results of this test will determine whether you need other screening procedures for colon cancer such as proctosigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy. What are these tongue-twisters?

In the former, the doctor uses a flexible, lighted tube called a proctosigmoidoscope to examine the lower portion of the colon and rectum – the area where cancers are usually found. This should be done initially at the age of 45 and every other year thereafter depending on your condition. For those with a family history of the disease, more frequent tests are required.

“Almost 50 percent of all colorectal cancer or polyps can be seen during such an examination. In addition, diagnosis of other diseases such as Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis can be made with this instrument. Samples of tissue can be taken through the instrument for later examination under a microscope (biopsy),” said Dr. David E. Larson, editor-in-chief of the “Mayo Clinic Family Health Book.”

Colonoscopy, on the other hand, examines the entire colon using a somewhat similar instrument called a fiberoptic endoscope. This gives a clear view of the lining of the colon from the anus to the cecum (the beginning of the large bowel located in the right lower portion of the abdomen).

The endoscope also permits the physician to remove polyps and to search for a cause of chronic or acute bleeding when other tests have failed to do so.

In about half of cases, surgery can cure colon cancer. How extensive this will be depends on the location and size of the cancerous growth. The surgeon may remove the tumor and rejoin healthy pieces of the rectum so the patient can function normally. Or he may remove the entire rectum and create an artificial opening called a stoma on the abdominal wall for stool to pass out. This happens in about 20 percent of cases.

Additional treatment in the form of chemotherapy and radiation may follow. For cancer that has spread to the lungs, little can be done.

“In summary, remember, the key to the cure of colon cancer is early detection and immediate removal of the polyp or tumor. Follow-up chemotherapy and immunotherapy, even if malignancy appears to have been totally cut out, have also been shown to be effective,” concluded Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld of the New York Hospital – Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in “The Best Treatment.”

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About the Author:Sharon Bell is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premier online news magazine http://www.HealthLinesNews.com.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Screening Procedure for Colon Cancer

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Most people develop colon cancer rather slowly, over one or two years. The 1st stage of development happens when a mass of tissues, growths or polyps ( a cluster of benign growths ) grow in the colon walls. Polyp type cancers can grow into the wall of the gut, occupy nearby lymph nodes and spread to other organs in the body. This is named “metastatic colon cancer” due to its mobility. In a few cases, the lining of the bowel might be irregular and inflamed, that may also lead to cancer.

To stop colon cancer, regular testing is important after the age of 50. Before talking about colon cancer prevention, let’s rap a little about what colon cancer is, precisely. Both the bowel and anus are a part of the gut. The 1st part of the gut, which is the esophagus and stomach, breaks down food to be processed into energy. Next, the broken down food travels to the small intestines / bowel, which is a narrow, 20-foot section that continues breaking down food and soaking up almost all of the nutriments. The small intestine then sends the leftover material to the five-foot-long colon ( which is also known as “the huge intestine” ), where it absorbs salt and water and stores waste.

The 1st part of the bowel is the rising colon, which is attached to the small intestines and the appendix on the right side of the stomach. The cross colon runs from a right to the left side of the higher stomach. The descending colon travels downward on the left side and the sigmoid colon is an S-shaped portion that passes food matter down to the lower colon, the final 6 inches of the guts, that may pass food out of the body thru the anal sphincter.

Nobody is truly sure what precisely causes a colon cancer cell to develop in the 1st place, or why some experience a colon cancer recurrence, but research commends a selection of life-style, hereditary and environmental components are at play. It could be not possible to fully forestall cancer of the bowel, but the North American Cancer Society announces that catching colon cancer symptoms early through screening tests is the key. Regular colon cancer screening should begin at age fifty for the majority, unless they are in a serious risk class.

Every year, people should get a fecal occult blood test, which is done by sending a stool sample. A stool DNA test might also be done at that very same time, since it also uses a stool sample to collect results. Then, each 5 years, patients should get a flexible sigmoidoscopy, which involves a long, flexible tube that checks the last few feet of the gut for colon polyps, and a double-contrast barium enema that uses an xray and dye to test the higher portion of the bowel.

A virtual colonoscopy employing a CT scan machine also should be done each five years. A colonoscopy process involves the insertion of a long, flexible tube, light and camera to view the whole colon and should then be done each ten years, or each 5 years if any irregularities have been found during the other screenings. Ultimately , life changes are a crucial way to stop colon cancer. It doesn’t need to be said that smoking, indolence and exorbitant alcohol consumption are contributors to many varieties of adversary health conditions.

Cancer of the colon prevention involves eating the proper foods, including cabbage, Brussels sprouts, carrots, beets, onions, potatoes, broccoli, artichokes, celery, beans, peas, multi grain products, berries, cantaloupes, mangoes, persimmons and dried apricots, for example. Limit the quantity of red beef ( meat, pork, lamb ) and processed meats ( hot dogs, luncheon meats ), cooking meats at extremely high temperatures ( frying, sauting and barbecuing ) and saturated fats.

Learn more about Colon Cancer Early Symptoms. Stop by Author Willie DeJarnette’s site where you can find out all about Colon Cancer Early Symptoms and what it can do for you.
Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/colon-cancer-prevention-methods-1657058.html

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The colon is part of the body’s digestive system. The digestive system removes and processes nutrients (vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and water) from foods and helps pass waste material out of the body. The digestive system is made up of the esophagus, stomach, and the small and large intestines. The first 6 feet of the large intestine are called the large bowel or colon. The last 6 inches are the rectum and the anal canal. The anal canal ends at the anus (the opening of the large intestine to the outside of the body).

Being age 50 or older is actually the number one risk factor for colon cancer. But other things impact colon cancer development, too. For example, studies indicate that all of these factors can contribute to colon cancer: alcohol, smoking, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity.

A diet high in animal fat and low in dietary fiber, which is the typical American diet today, has been linked to colon cancer. A review of the relationships between diet, exercise, and colon cancer suggests that diets high in vegetables and regular physical activity are the most significant factors in reducing the risk of colon cancer. Strong evidence shows that physical activity can reduce the risk of colon cancer by up to 50 percent. Some scientists hypothesize that fiber (from vegetables) might bind to potential carcinogens and cause them to be excreted before they can cause harm; other suggest that, in enhancing the movement of material through the GI tract, exercise or high-fiber diet reduces the time that carcinogens have to come in contact with colon cells. Other scientists suggest that high levels help protect the GI tract and delay the development of stomach, colon, and rectal cancer. Alternatively, the breakdown products of fiber produced by colonic bacteria, including acids that lower colon pH, might make carcinogens inactive.

Although these logical reasons point to a beneficial effect of fiber, a major study of women fails to support the protective effect of dietary fiber against colorectal cancer. However, a recent study of 400,000 men and women across nine European countries shows as much as a 40 percent reduction in risk.

About the Author:Colon Cancer Center
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Relationships Between Diet And Colon Cancer