All about colon cancer
COLON CANCER
Colon cancer is more commonly known as bowel cancer, this is
where there is a malignant growth in the colon.
Early symptoms of colon cancer can include a change in bowel
movements either constipated or diahoerria , pain in the lower
abdomen, blood mixed in with the faeces. These symptoms are
fairly mundane, so often go un-noticed causing the tumor to grow
undetected, inperticulally as people still find it hard to
discuss there bowel movements with anybody especially there
Doctor. Occasionally there are no symptoms until the tumor has
got so large that it causes a blockage in the intestine or Could
possibly even perforate the intestine. Some forms of colon
cancer can be genetic/hereditary however in some cases of colon
cancer the precise reason people Contract the disease is
unknown. Diet may be cause of colon cancer, eating a lot of
meat, too much fatty foods and not enough fiber, fruit and
vegetables all add up to a un-healthy diet so increasing the
risk of colon cancer.
The tests carried out to diagnose colon cancer include a
sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy. A sigmoidoscopy is when a camera
is inserted into the anus to examine the rectum and the sigmoid
colon. A colonoscopy is when a flexible fibre-optic camera
Called a colonscope is put into the body via the anus and fed
along the colon. Instruments may be fed down the colonscope So
this is how a biopsy would be performed. Colon cancer can often
occur with other diseases of the colon, for example ulcerative
colitis.
The chance of a cure for colon cancer depends on whether you get
a early enough diagnosis. Surgery is the best chance of Survival
and sometimes radiotherapy and chemotherapy may also be offered,
but there would be no guarenties of a very long term future. The
surgical procedure involves a general anesthetic and the
diseased part of the colon is removed plus a bit extra on both
sides to make sure they have it all. The amount of colon that
has to be removed varies from person to person but the Majority
of people will end up with a colostomy. This is where a small
inscision is made in the stomach and the healthy colon Is pulled
through it and secured this is called a stoma. The stoma makes
it possible for the person to still have there bowels opened by
means of a colostomy bag which is attached to the stoma usually
by a adhesive. These bags are disposable and Keep all smells etc
in [until you change them when the bowel has worked]. The
colostomy is sometimes only temporary depending on how much
bowel was removed. If it is to be only temporary it could be
there for up to six months just to allow the colon to heal
without faeces being past through it. If the colostomy is to be
permanent than the anus may be sewn up whilst the person is in
theatre having there diseased colon removed and the stoma made.
Colon cancer is still a large killer but mostly because people
do not get it diagnosed early enough. The survival rate is much
better when diagnoses are made early as treatment can begin and
may not end up being so evasive. It is a shame to die from
embarrassment is it not.
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