All about colon cancer

1. Colon Cancer
By: Kasie Omile

2. The Human Colon
 The human colon is a
muscular, tube-shaped
organ measuring about 4
feet long. It extends from
the end of your small
bowel to your anus,
twisting and turning
through your abdomen
(belly).

3. Functions of the Colon
The colon has 3 main functions.
 To digest and absorb nutrients from food
 To concentrate fecal material by absorbing fluid
(and electrolytes) from it
 To store and control evacuation of fecal material

5. What is colon cancer?
 Cancer of the colon or rectum is called colon or
colorectal cancer. It develops in the digestive
tract from polyps that initially are benign, but that
over time mutate into a cancerous tumor. The
cancer cells invade and destroy nearby
tissue, and can break away to form new tumors in
other parts of the body, a process called
metastasis.

7. Symptoms
 A change in your
bowel
habits, including
diarrhea or
constipation or a
change in the
consistency of your
stool
 Rectal bleeding or
blood in your stool
 Persistent abdominal
discomfort, such as
cramps, gas or pain
 A feeling that your
bowel doesn't empty
completely
 Weakness or fatigue

8. Treatments/Potential Cures
 The primary treatment of colon
cancer is to surgically remove part or
all of your colon. Suggestive polyps, if
few in number, may be removed
during colonoscopy.
 Chemotherapy after surgery can
prolong survival for people whose
cancer has spread to nearby lymph
nodes.
 Radiation treatment after surgery
does not help people with colon
cancer, but it does prolong survival
for people with rectal cancer.
 Given before surgery, radiation may
reduce tumor size. This can improve
the chances that the tumor will be
removed successfully.
 Radiation before surgery also
appears to reduce the risk of the
cancer coming back after treatment.

9. You have a high risk of colon cancer
if:
 You have a higher risk for colon cancer if you:
 Are older than 60
 Are African American of eastern European
descent
 Eat a diet high in red or processed meats
 Have cancer elsewhere in the body
 Have colorectal polyps
 Have inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's
disease or ulcerative colitis)
 Have a family history of colon cancer
 Have a personal history of breast cancer

10. Genetic syndromes that increase the
risk of colon cancer
Two of the most common are:
 Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)
 Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer
(HNPCC), also known as Lynch syndrome

11. Preventative Measures
 All men and women over
fifty should get a colon
cancer screening because
colon cancer can almost
always be caught by
colonoscopy in its earliest
and most curable stages.
 Changing your diet and
lifestyle is important. Some
evidence suggests that
low-fat and high-fiber diets
may reduce your risk of
colon cancer.

12. Sources
 http://www.endcoloncancernow.org/about/info.htm
l
 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/colon-
cancer/ds00035/dsection=symptoms
 http://www.emedicinehealth.com/colon_cancer/art
icle_em.htm
 http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/c
olon-cancer/overview.html