Colon cancer is a dangerous form of cancer that starts in the colon, and then if nothing is done to treat it, it will start to spread. The causes of colon cancer have not been discovered yet, but scientists are researching its causes and new treatments that can help cure colon cancer and metastatic colon cancer.

The colon and the rectum for the large intestine. First, a tumor appears in the colon or sometimes in the rectum, and then it starts to grow, and the cancerous tissue spreads. In time it can reach other organs, such as the liver or the lungs.

In its early phases colon cancer can be treated quite easily, and the survival rate for patients diagnosed with stage 2 or 3 colon cancer is over 80%. However, if the cancer advances to the third or fourth stage, it will be really hard to cure it, the survival rate drops under 10%, but there still is hope.

This is why it is important to learn the signs and symptoms of colon cancer, and detect them early in order to start the treatment as soon as possible. The problem is that stage 1 or 2 colon cancer has almost no symptoms at all, and it’s hard to detect this disease until it has already advanced too much.

These are the common symptoms that may indicate an early colon cancer or a high risk of developing colon cancer:

-stool that contains small amounts of blood
-bleeding from the anus, which appears more rarely, and may just be a coincidence, but it can also be a sign

If colon cancer has advanced, then many symptoms appear. The most commonly encountered ones are:

-pain in the abdomen

-vomiting and nausea

-larger amount of blood in the stool

-change in bowel habits

-sudden weight loss

-thin stool

-stomach cramps

-diarrhea

-fatigue or tiredness

If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above then immediately consult a doctor. Some of them can be cause by other affections, but in either case it’s important to seek medical attention. The doctors will perform some tests and clinical trials which will determine if you have or haven’t got colon cancer,and how far has it spread.

If it has not spread much then it can easily be treated with a colon cancer surgery, that removes the parts of the large intestine where tumors are.
A stage IV colon cancer diagnose is a very bad news, and it will probably change your life, but remember that there still is hope.

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

Related articles by Cancer Treatment Pro

• The Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada applauds Ontario’s decision to expand funding of Avastin (newswire.ca)
• Gene offers bowel cancer ‘shield’ (news.bbc.co.uk)
• ERBITUX(TM) now available in Ontario and BC for patients with advanced colorectal cancer – Addition of proven treatment increases options for patients (newswire.ca)

Colon cancer has one of the highest occurrence rates, and typically appears in males and females who are older than 50 years of age. Some of the most effective methods of lowering your risks are eating healthy foods and getting immediate help from a physician if you notice any irregularities.

If you increase the amount of fiber you eat daily by only 3/4ths of an ounce, you can significantly reduce your chance of developing colon cancer and many other forms of intestinal disease. Increase your fiber by 3/4 of an ounce every day and you will dodge the horrifying results this disease can reap upon you and your loved ones.

While most people with an hereditary predisposition to this disease can’t prevent it from developing, healthy people can do their part to ward off the risk by following a good diet and making healthy lifestyle choices.

There are two main types:

The hereditary form of the disease, which results from genetically inherited abnormalities of the large intestine; and acquired or sporadic, which develops as a result of bad diet and unhealthy lifestyle.

This disease usually occurs as a result of polyps that form in different parts of the large intestine.

If someone in your immediate family has had this form of cancer, you need to get a checkup from a physician on a regular basis so that any irregularities can be detected early and increase your chances of remission.

It is recommended that anyone who is newly diagnosed with colon cancer should find educational resources on the subject, which are widely available either online or from a library.

Once it has spread, the cancer produces symptoms that cannot be ignored, such as blood in the stool, changes in bowel habits, fatigue, vomiting and nausea. During this phase, the disease is easier to detect and diagnose.

If you have been diagnosed with colon cancer you need to adopt a healthy lifestyle. If you are prone to this disease you must take charge of your health now. Educating yourself on the subject is your best defense.

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

Related articles by Cancer Treatment Pro

• Daily Aspirin May Prevent Some Colon Cancers (inquisitr.com)
• Simpler Colon Cancer Screening (technologyreview.com)
• GeneNews publishes positive ColonSentry(TM) validation data in leading International Cancer Journal (newswire.ca)

Colon cancer is a silent disease that only shows its symptoms at the advanced stages. It has a long latent period, it can be detected in the precancerous stage.

Symptoms

Colon cancer early symptoms include blood in the stool or unable to pass motion suggesting that the colon is blocked. Frequent diarrhea, constipation and unexplained stomach aches are early symptoms but they may be early symptoms of other forms of cancer. Weight loss, when there have been no changes to diet or exercise routine, may be another early symptom of cancer of the colon or other digestive cancers

Risk factors

There are many studies that indicate that diet plays an important factor. A combination of a diet high in protein and fats seems to be what causes cancer of the colon. Genes also play an important role while smoking adds to the risk.

Diagnosis

A faecal occult blood test is done to determine the presence of blood in the stool. If the result shows the presence of blood, the best way to diagnosis colon cancer is by doing a colonscope.

Treatments

Treatments for cancer of the colon depend on the stage of the cancer and whether the cancer has recurred. The overall health of the cancer patient is also an important factor in determining the treatment.

It is recommended that those especially with a family history of colon cancer to undergo colorectal cancer screening earlier. The good news is that when colon cancer is detected early when it is still confined to the mucosal layer, the cure rate is up to 90% through surgery.

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

Colon cancer warning signs should not be looked at lightly. As we get older, it’s crucial to know about and be able to distinguish colon cancer warning signs. Many colon cancer warning signs are not evident in the early stages and being mindful of the problems could prove vital to a better medical prognosis.

Cancers of the colon and rectum are most frequently discussed collectively under the name colorectal cancer, but its more common name is colon cancer. Cancer happens when abnormal cells develop out of control on the wall of the colon. In some cases, symptoms may be from a condition other than cancer, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and occasionally diverticulosis.

In the colon andrectum, this exaggerated growth could cause precancerous polyps(adenomas, or adenomatous polyps) to take form in the lining of your intestine. Over a long period of time (spanning up to several years) a few of these polyps may become cancerous. In later levels of the disease, cancerous polyps may get through the colon walls and disperse to lymph nodes and additional organs.

Once you have warning signs of any illness you had better visit your physician for diagnosis.

Some very early cancer symptoms are:

* Blood in your stool or darkened stools
* Change in bowel habits, either loose stools or constipation
* Pain in your stomach or pain during bowel movements
* Feeling exhausted when you have had adequate rest

Possible symptoms later on are:

* Pain in the lower abdomen area
* Feeling very tired
* Infrequent cramps along with difficult bowel movements
* Sickness if you are undergoing certain drugs or having radiation treatments

Cancer of the colon is generally not visible to the naked eye, but if you are aware of your health conditions, you could use early cancer symptoms to your advantage. Among the early warning signs of cancer is trouble in passing stools. Known as constipation, it is thought to be a very early warning sign of cancer in your body.

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

Related articles by Cancer Treatment Pro

• N.B. will fund costly colon cancer drug (cbc.ca)
• New developments in pancreatic cancer @AACR (pharmastrategyblog.com)

Colon cancer symptoms are not always clear and are often so subtle that they are mistaken for less serious conditions. Colon cancer symptoms are often silent and so they go undetected. As the symptoms are usually confused with less deadly conditions it enables the cancer to progress further before diagnosis and treatment. These symptoms are very serious indeed and lead to cancer of the colon, which is in the top three of the most life-threatening forms of cancer in men.

Symptoms commonly do not give early warning signs of cancer, but through medical history, professional examination and testing, a symptoms diagnosis or determination of the presence of cancer may be determined. Symptoms often do not lead straight to the underlying diagnosis and many symptoms can be misleading. Symptoms can remain dormant for as long as five years, by which time the cancer will have moved long past the treatable stage.

Understanding cancer of the colon symptoms is important, as you can use this knowledge to work with your doctor to uncover the cause and take care of your long-term health. Some of the more common local symptoms include changes in your bowel habits, such as bowel movements that are either more or less frequent than normal, constipation (difficulty having a bowel movement or straining to have a bowel movement), Diarrhea (loose or watery stools), Intermittent (alternating) constipation and diarrhea and bright red or dark red blood in your stools or black, dark colored, “tarry” stools.

Stools that are thinner than normal (“pencil stools”) or feeling as if you cannot empty your bowels entirely, abdominal discomfort, bloating, frequent gas pains, or cramps. If you experience any of these for two or more weeks, call your doctor right away to discuss your concerns and arrange for tests to get to the bottom of your symptoms.

Colon Cancer is one of only a few preventable cancers. To read the full article please visit my blog on Colon Cancer Symptoms or find out more about how Colon Cleansing can help prevent colon cancer.

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