Colon Cancer: An Overview. Protect Yourself Through KnowledgeColon cancer is the second most common reason for cancer death after lung cancer in the Western world. Colon is an important part of the digestive system that helps in the process of digestion. The colon consists of the cecum, ascending colon, descending colon, transverse colon and sigmoid colon. In some cases, where the organ is longer, it may consist of redundant colon as well. The colon is responsible for the absorption of the water, nutrients and electrolytes from the food we eat and also helps in transporting the absorbed materials into the human bloodstream. When talking about colon cancer, it refers to the cancerous growth found in the human rectum, colon and appendix. This disease is believed to be highly curable if diagnosed at an early stage. It is the cancer of the large intestine while rectal cancer is the cancer below the colon area. Collectively, they are referred to as colorectal cancer. Causes of Colon Cancer: People who have a history of smoking, drinking, obesity and those living a sedentary lifestyle are more likely to develop Colon cancer. Studies have revealed that men are more prone to this disease than their female counterparts. This may also be caused by hereditary factors. It is commonly believed that the threat posed by Colon cancer is somewhat linked to the intake of diet. Studies have revealed that the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables are beneficial in minimizing the risk of Colon cancer. Foods which are low in fat and high on fiber are also believed to save you from this dreaded disease. One can also include sufficient amounts of selenium, Folic acid and calcium in his diet to minimize the threat posed by colon cancer. Food items such as processed or red meat pose a high risk of developing Colon cancer. There are some symptoms of Colon Cancer that you need to look out for. They are : * Fatigue and weakness * Anemia. * Ascending right-sided tumors. * Palpitations. * Diarrhea. * Perforation. * Constriction of the lesions. * Abdominal pain. Diagnosis of Colon Cancer: The presence of colon cancer can be determined by checking presence of blood in the feces or through sigmoidoscopy, which is a medical process, in which a flexible optical device is used by the doctor to have a detailed insight into the colon and rectum. Surgery for colon cancer: The part of the colon affected with the tumor is removed during treatment. Colostomy is a common treatment for treating the disease. Under this treatment, the bowel end is diverted to abdomen's surface where the feces are collected in a plastic bag. The colon part can then be reconnected to the remaining bowel. This is a temporary measure. If the lower rectum is affected with tumor, permanent colostomy would need to be performed. Under this, the anus and rectum may be required to be removed. After the surgery, the person suffering from colon cancer may have to undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This is done to devoid any remaining cancer cells to grow further. Colon Cancer Surgery >> About Us >> Contact Us >> Usage And Privacy Policy |