Detecting Colon Cancer

olon Cancer is among the most dangerous forms of cancer. Yet it is also among the most preventable. The symptoms, in which it manifests itself, are easily detectable and allow patients to stop the cancer from developing past its early stages.

These range from constipation and thinning of the stool to bleeding in stool and nausea. However, Colon cancer does not necessarily show it symptoms early. Colon Cancers which occur at the top of the Colon may not allow bleeding to be as obvious and thus may go undetected. Therefore, it is recommended that people above the age of 40 get regular checkups and screening. These screenings are conducted in various manners.

• Fecal occult blood test (FOBT): This test detects hidden blood in stool. Research has proven that FOBT conducted every 1-2 years among the age group 50-80, reduces the risk of colon cancer by 15 to 33 %.

• Sigmoidoscopy: This test is conducted by using a lighted instrument called a sigmoidoscope, to examine the rectum and lower colon. The process allows precancerous and cancerous growths to be identified and purged and has been shown to reduce the incidence of colon cancer sharply.

• Colonoscopy: Similar to sigmoidoscopy, this process however examines the entire colon using a lighted instrument called a colonoscope. Patients are occasionally administered a sedative to perform this test.

• Vitual Colonoscopy: This process involves the use of x rays to take images of the colon and rectum which are then processed in a computer. These images enable the computer to make a detailed image of the colon and detect any cancerous growths. As this process is less invasive, virtual colonoscopy is usually less painful and requires less time.

• Double contrast barium enema (DCBE): In this test, the patient is given an enema with a barium solution and air is introduced to allow the solution to outline the colon and the rectum. X rays are then taken to detect the presence of polyps. Although this test does not detect all of the small polyps, it does provide adequate imaging to prevent Colon cancer to an extent.

• Digital rectal exam (DRE): In this test, the medical examiner inserts a lubricated finger into the rectum to feel for any outgrowths. This procedure is only effective for lower parts of the Colon.

Introduction on Colon Cancer

Colon cancer is a highly dangerous and extremely common form of cancer affecting millions of people around the world. It is the third most common form of cancer and although its rate of incidence is decreasing in the US, it still poses a huge risk. Americans have a 1 in 20 chance of acquiring colon cancer.

The risk of incidence starts to increase after the age of 40 and does so considerably after 65. Both men and women have similar probability of acquiring the disease but the after the age of 50, the risk increases for men.

Colon cancer occurs in rectum or the large intestine. It forms in the last 20-25 cm of the colon and since it usually affects both the anus and the rectum, it is referred to as Colorectal cancer. However, cancer in the anus is uncommon. If it does occur, it usually occurs in the outer part of the anus for men and the inner part for women.

Colon cancer can be caused by various products but most of these are related to dietary fat, particularly animal fat. The process of digestion which metabolizes this fat produces carcinogens (cancer causing agents), which irritate the lining of the intestine and thus lead to the formation of polyps (small outgrowth) which slowly develop into cancer.

There are several means of detecting colon cancer but it should be kept in mind that many colon cancers do not have any symptoms.

The symptoms include :

Abdominal pain : If a person experiences unusual pain in the lower abdomen brought on without any specific reason, he should get it checked.
Blood in the stool : This is usually a very serious condition and may be caused by an injury or problems in the digestive tract as well. It is therefore necessary to report it to a physician.
Diarrhea : Irregular bowel patterns can also indicate a risk of Colon cancer.
Intestinal obstruction : Any obstruction which reduces or blocks the path of faeces is a significant symptom of colon cancer as well.
Weight loss : Unexplained weight loss can also be a symptom.
It should be noted that Colon cancer does not only display these symptoms and there may be other factors which may vary the symptoms.