Coping with Colon CancerCancer is a disease that can be expressed in a hundred different ways and forms. It can take on form in the lungs, the stomach, skin and in internal body organs. Colon cancer is an example of one such cancer, but all cancers, no matter where they're located, affect the basic unit of life, the cell. Normal body cells only divide when they need to, in a process that keeps us healthy, but sometimes things go haywire in our body. When cells don't stop dividing, they form masses of tissue that form tumors, some of which are benign, or harmless, while others become malignant, and what we then call a cancer. Benign tumors don't spread, but malignant ones do, and some cancers, depending on where they're found, can spread more quickly than others. The colon is the part of the body that stores waste materials until they're excreted, and is more commonly called the bowel or large intestinal tract. When an abnormal growth develops in the colon, it's often called a polyp. Many such polyps are benign and can be removed through a process known as a colonoscopy. However, if a polyp isn't removed from the intestine, they may become malignant and colon cancer may develop over time. It's important to know that most cancers form from such polyps, and even if you don't think it's important to have a benign polyp removed, it can affect your future health. Once a polyp becomes malignant, pieces of the growth, or colon cancer cells, may break off and travel through the blood stream to infect other organs, such as the liver and lung. Once this process occurs, survival from colon cancer and it's devastating effects on the human body are drastically reduced. Doctors aren't certain what cause most cases of colon cancer, but it isn't contagious. Some indications show that those who eat a high fat diet or have a history of colon cancer in the family are more apt to develop both benign and malignant polyps. Many people don't realize they may suffer from colon cancer until they see signs or feel symptoms such as chronic fatigue, abdominal pain, or blood in their stools. As a matter of fact, people can suffer from colon cancer for years before they start to see such obvious signs that something is wrong with them, and symptoms can also vary depending on where the polyps are located within the colon. If you suspect that you or someone you know may be suffering from any type of intestinal disorder or even colon cancer, it's imperative that they see a doctor right away. The physician will most likely want a lower GI (gastro-intestinal) series of x-rays and tests completed, called a barium enema x-ray, or even a colonoscopy, to determine the exact location of the suspect polyp. If something suspicious is found, the doctor will perform a biopsy and send a tissue sample to a lab to determine if the polyp is benign or malignant, and his prescribed treatment plan will depend on the results. Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent colon cancer, and many are already advanced by the time they're suspected or discovered. Early detection is the best way to protect yourself, and regular doctor visits and screenings can help to aid in such early detection of such types of colon cancer. |
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