| Colon or colorectal cancer is the cancer of the | | | | Further major risk factors included obesity, |
| large intestine, the last portion of vertebrates | | | | extreme consumption of red meat, elevated fat |
| digestive system. It begins with the uninhibited | | | | diet, diet low in calcium, vitamin D, selenium and |
| expansion of epithelial cells that line the inner | | | | folate, inadequate uptake of vegetables and fruits, |
| surface of the colon. The colon in most mammals | | | | inadequate exercise, smoking, and aging of the |
| is the final portion of the gastrointestinal tract. Its | | | | immune system. Conversely, studies have found |
| chief task is to get hold of water and other | | | | that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs |
| materials from solid waste products before these | | | | (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen, |
| are eliminated from the body. | | | | estrogen-containing medications and cholesterol |
| It has been established that majority of colon | | | | reducing drugs may protect against colon cancer. |
| cancer cases begun with polyps which are | | | | These drugs are however not endorsed at this |
| hyperplastic masses. But these small balloon | | | | point in time as alternative prevention. |
| structures may undergo a succession of | | | | While several symptoms may indicate the |
| alterations into pre-tumorigenic (e.g. Tubular | | | | presence of this cancer, many of these |
| adenoma) and finally tumorous metastatic (e.g. | | | | symptoms are not unique to colon malignancy and |
| Colorectal adenocarcinoma) growth. | | | | are in fact, quite analogous to other ordinary |
| For many years, colorectal cancer still remains as | | | | illnesses and diseases. These symptoms may |
| one of most regularly diagnosed cancers | | | | possibly appear suddenly or may grow little by |
| throughout the world with hundred of thousands | | | | little over a period of time. Symptoms include |
| of newly diagnosed cases each year. The | | | | bowel movement alterations; continuous diarrhea; |
| elevated cancer incidence is often accompanied | | | | constipation; total bowel blockage (with extreme |
| by high mortality rates. Colon cancer is among the | | | | pain); bloody stools; sudden or chronic abdominal |
| leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. | | | | cramping and pain, just to name a few. |
| There are a variety of risk factors linked to the | | | | Surgical intervention is still the most effectual |
| dvelopment of colorectal cancer. Age being one | | | | treatment if the tumor have not become invasive |
| of them. Cancer risk rises proportionally with age. | | | | and metastasize. This is done by eliminating the |
| And males constitute a higher risk group than | | | | tumor along with a portion of normal colonic |
| females. A further group at great risk of getting | | | | tissues and adjacent lymph nodes. |
| colon cancer are people with personal or family | | | | Other types of treatments also include |
| history of Hereditary genetic mutations (HNPCC: | | | | chemotherapy, radiation therapy and |
| Hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer or FAP: | | | | immunotherapy. Individual or combinatorial |
| Familial adenomatous polyposis). People with | | | | therapies may take place depending on patient's |
| inflammatory bowel disease have greater risks of | | | | physical condition and stage of disease. |
| developing colon cancer as well. | | | | |