Colon cancer is cancer that starts in the large intestine (colon) or the rectum (end of the colon). Such cancer is sometimes referred to as “colorectal cancer.”

According to the American Cancer Society, at www.cancer.org, colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Colorectal cancer attacks men and women of all racial and ethnic groups, and is most often found in people aged 50 years or older. In the U.S., colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer after lung and prostate cancers. In the case of females, this type of cancer is the third most common cancer after breast and lung cancers. Colon cancer is, in almost all cases, a treatable disease if caught early. Removal of pre-cancerous polyps by colonoscopy essentially prevents colon cancer. If you are age 50 or older and have not yet had a colonoscopy, you should ask your health care provider about scheduling one. Early colon cancer usually has no symptoms, so screening by colonoscopy is important.

You should also call your health care provider if you have blood during a bowel movement, black, tar-like stools, or a change in bowel habits. The majority of colorectal cancers begin as polyps-abnormal growths-inside the colon or rectum that may become cancers over a long period of time. Sit down with your doctor and go over all available options. Some of the screening methods (aside from colonoscopy) include virtual colonoscopy, a DNA-based stool test, sigmoidoscopy, fecal occult blood testing and a double contrast barium enema. Your doctor can help you decide which option is best for you.

Did you know?

According to Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health (www.nlm.nih.gov), there is no single cause for colon cancer. Nearly all colon cancers begin as benign polyps, which slowly develop into cancer.

You have a higher risk for colon cancer if you have:
● Colorectal polyps
● Cancer elsewhere in the body
● A family history of colon cancer (If you or anyone in your family has a history of cancer, polyps or irritable bowel syndrome, then you should not wait until age 50 to be tested.)
● Ulcerative colitis
● Crohn’s disease
● Personal history of breast cancer
● Certain genetic syndromes also increase the risk of developing colon cancer.

Research shows that what you eat may also play a role in your risk of colon cancer. Colon cancer may be associated with a high-fat, low-fiber diet. Those with diets that include a lot of red meat or processed meats also may be raising their risk for colon cancer.

Sources: American Cancer Society, http://www.cancer.org; Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, http://www.nlm.nih.gov.