Colon cancer is a malignant development in the large bowel. It is one
of the leading causes of death in the United States. Colon cancer can have a
very good cure rate if discovered early and treated. Multiple options are
available to locate the early changes indicating cancer in the large bowel. If
left undiscovered or untreated it can be fatal. The risk for colon cancer
increase in old people (older than 60 years old), who eats red or processed
meat, and have family history of colon cancer or in females a personal history
of breast cancer. Colon cancer risk can also increase in a specific group of
people including those with inflammatory bowel diseases or who have colon polyps;
the criteria for screening these last two groups differ from those apply for
the general population and can be discussed best with their treating
physicians.
Screening for colon cancer is important since the symptoms for the
disease are not specific, including weight loss, diarrhea, bloody or black
stool in addition to vague abdominal pain. Upon noticing any of these signs it
is advisable to check with the GP, most of the times the cause is something
benign and can be easily treated if needed. In a study by Siegel and colleagues
(2012) the incidence rates for right-sided colon cancer in individuals 50 years
and older began declining in 1999 – 2000; while the rates of left-sided colon
cancer have been generally decreasing since 1992. The rapid declines for
late-stage disease beginning in 2000 were similar for right- and left-sided tumors in
both magnitude and timing, and it likely reflects the influence of increased
colonoscopy screening.
Sources:
- PubMed Health – Colon Cancer
- Siegel RL, Ward EM, Jemal A. 2012. Trends in Colorectal Cancer Incidence Rates in the United States by Tumor Location and Stage, 1992–2008. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 21(3): 411-6
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