Colon cancer was one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the U.S in 2005. 72,000 men and 69,000 women were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. About 26,700 and 26,200 died from colorectal cancer. It is a disease that is very common in today’s world, but the good news is that the survival rate has been going up for the last 20 years.

The reason for this is better health care, faster treatment and modern advances. Doctors believe that colon cancer could almost be completely prevented if people went to regular screenings such as a colonoscopy. Today many new techniques for screening are being discovered, they are less intrusive and take less time, so going on routine screenings is easier than ever.

The average survival rate for patients that have been struck by colon cancer is:

62% in Austria
43% in Europe
68% in Korea
62% in the United States of America

It also depends on which stage the cancer is caught. The earlier the stage, the better your chances of survival. For example, if the disease is caught at its earliest stage, all that is needed is a small incision to remove the growth and you’re done. At its earliest stage, the survival rate is above 95%. Getting regular screenings is crucial to discovering the disease in time and increasing your chances of survival.

It is said that if Americans were screened regularly, it would save about 25,000 lives each and every year. You can also decrease the chances that you will get cancer by eating healthy foods and living a healthy life.

Do you want to learn what foods increase your wellbeing? Visit Colon Health Advice and read up on how you can prevent colon cancer.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Henri_Junttila

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Once colon cancer reaches the level of stage 4, this is the point, statistically, when the rates of survival decrease rapidly. The average five-year survival rate at this stage tends to be around 20 to 30 percent. Whilst these figures make the outlook look bad, an end to all hope should not be dismissed with stage 4 colon cancer. The importance of screening and early detection at this time is paramount.

If stage 4 colon cancer has been diagnosed, this means that the cancer has now manifested itself in other parts of the body. It is almost certain that the cancer has invaded the lymph node system and could possibly be found in the liver, lungs, bones and even the brain. Even at this stage, it is still possible for people to live past the projected five-year period. It all depends on the location of the spread of the stage 4 colon cancer. However, overall, the prognosis for stage 4 survival is not overly optimistic.

Even now, when stage 4 colon cancer has been diagnosed, there are several medical procedures and treatments that can be used to lessen symptoms. In areas where tumors can be removed, surgery can be performed to remove these tumors. If surgery isn’t an option, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are often used to help. Whilst there may not be a ‘cure’ for stage 4 colon cancer, doctors strive to help those diagnosed to live their lives, if not a little longer, then at least a little more comfortably.

Prevention is of paramount importance in ensuring that people do not end up with stage 4 colon cancer. This in itself is not going to prove 100% effective for everyone, but to help avoid this cancer, here are a few things that people can do:

Reduce the risks. Not all of the risks can be removed. Some can though, and they simply involve changing your lifestyle habits. Smoking, over indulgence of alcohol and a diet that is high in fat and low in fiber are all risks that can be eliminated. Other personal risk factors that can be addressed are obesity and lack of exercise.

Undertake a screening program. The normal check up procedure of screening starts around the age of 50. However, if the risks are deemed high in a person, then screening will start at an earlier stage. Both men and women are prone to colon cancer, so both can expect to have their physicians request screening exams every few years.

The importance of screening programs and risk reduction are highlighted by the fact that symptoms of colon cancer do not generally appear until the later stages. The best form of defense can be installed by making these two things a priority. By doing so, one can help to reduce the chances of stage 4 colon cancer forming.

Stage 4 colon cancer is not good and if diagnosed with this cancer, it doesn’t mean that all hope is lost. With the proper medical treatment and care, the chances of beating the five-year survival rate could be improved. Avoiding this situation in the first place by employing the combination of preventative measures and undergoing regular screenings is obviously the best step to take. These actions alone won’t guarantee that you won’t reach stage 4 colon cancer, but they will help in decreasing the chances for advancement of the colon cancer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Neil_Day