Colon Cancer Risk Factors
- Reduce your colon cancer odds by not smoking.Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Anastasia
The Mayo Clinic lists a number of risk factors associated with colon cancer. African-Americans have the highest rate of colon cancer out of any other ethnicity. The disease occurs most often in people older than 50-years of age. You're also more likely to get the disease if anyone in your immediate family had it as well. Other risk factors include obesity, smoking, diabetes and a high-fat diet. - Colon cancer is cancer that develops in the colon. Another name for the colon is the large intestine, which is the lower part of the digestive system. Do not confuse this with rectal cancer, which develops in the last few inches of the colon. They are two separate forms of the disease.
- Constant fatigue is a symptom of colon cancer.Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Adrian Sampson
Anal bleeding and bloody stool are two of the most recognizable symptoms of colon cancer. Other symptoms aren't as alarming, and as a result are often ignored. These symptoms include fatigue, abdominal cramps, gas and diarrhea or constipation. Seek medical attention if you constantly experience any of these symptoms. - Colon cancer develops from polyps growing in the colon. All polyps found during an examination are removed because there's no way to tell which are cancerous and which are benign. A pathologist tests the polyps for cancer once they are removed from the colon.
- Colon cancer treatments are the same as for other forms of cancer. Surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are the most common. A person with colon cancer may undergo one or multiple types of treatment.
- A healthy diet can stop colon cancer in its tracks.Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Tiffany Washko
Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables may reduce your chance of developing colon cancer. Daily exercise and quitting smoking are also recommended.
