colon cancercause for colon cancerIn general, cancer occurs when healthy cells become altered. Healthy cells grow and divide in an orderly way to keep your body functioning normally. But sometimes this growth gets out of control — cells continue dividing even when new cells aren't needed. In the colon and rectum, this exaggerated growth may cause precancerous cells to form in the lining of your intestine. Over a long period of time — spanning up to several years — some of these areas of abnormal cells may become cancerous. In later stages of the disease, colon cancer may penetrate the colon walls and spread (metastasize) to nearby lymph nodes or other organs. As with most cancers, the exact cause for colon cancer is unknown.
Precancerous growths in the colon cancerPrecancerous cells can occur anywhere in your large intestine, the muscular tube that forms the last part of your gastrointestinal tract. The colon comprises the upper 4 to 5 feet of your large intestine, and the rectum makes up the lower 6 inches.
Precancerous growths most commonly occur as clumps of cells (polyps) that extend from the wall of the colon. Polyps can appear mushroom-shaped. Precancerous growths can also be flat or recessed into the wall of the colon (nonpolypoid lesions). Nonpolypoid lesions are more difficult to detect, but are less common.
Several types of colon polyps exist. Among the most common are:
• Adenomas. These polyps have the potential to become cancerous and are usually removed during screening tests such as flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy.
• Hyperplastic polyps. These polyps are rarely, if ever, a risk factor for colorectal cancer.
• Inflammatory polyps. These polyps may follow a bout of ulcerative colitis. Some inflammatory polyps may become cancerous, so having ulcerative colitis increases your overall risk of colon cancer.
Symptoms of colon cancerColorectal cancer in its early stages usually doesn't cause any symptoms. Symptoms occur later, when the cancer may be more difficult to treat. The most common symptoms include:
* Pain in the belly.
* Blood in your stool or very dark stools.
* A change in your bowel habits (such as more frequent stools or a feeling that your bowels are not emptying completely).
* Fatigue.
* In rare cases, unexplained weight loss.
Colon cancer may cause no symptoms. When there are symptoms, they may depend on where in the colon the cancer is.2
* The cecum and ascending colon, the first and second parts of the colon, are on the right side of your abdomen. Cancer in this area may bleed, causing blood in the stool and symptoms of anemia, including fatigue and weakness. The amount of blood may be small and so well mixed with stool that your stool may look normal. Sometimes cancer in this area does not cause many symptoms.
* The transverse colon, the third part, goes across your body from right to left. Cancer here may cause abdominal cramps.
* The descending colon, the fourth part, and the S-shaped sigmoid colon, the fifth part, are on the left side of your abdomen and join the rectum. Cancer here may cause narrower stools and bright red blood in the stool. Sometimes this blood is mistakenly thought to come from hemorrhoids.
Having these symptoms does not mean you have cancer. A number of other medical problems could cause similar symptoms, including:
* Irritable bowel syndrome, a common digestive problem that causes periods of stomach pain, cramping or bloating, and diarrhea or constipation.
* Other growths (polyps) in the large intestine that are not cancer.
* Diverticulitis, a condition in which pouches form in the wall of the colon and become painful, swollen, or infected.
* Infections that cause diarrhea, such as salmonella.
* Inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, which cause swelling and sores in the intestines.
* Bleeding hemorrhoids.
* Ulcers of the rectum.
Diagnosis of colon cancerIn all other cancers (breast and prostate, for example), screening tests look for small, malignant lesions. Screening for colorectal cancers, however, is the search for pre-malignant, benign polyps. This screening can be close to 100% effective in preventing cancer development, not just in detecting small cancers.
* yearly fecal occult blood test
* flexible sigmoidoscopy at age 50
* flexible sigmoidoscopy repeated every 5 years
* double contrast barium enema every five years
* colonoscopy every 10 years The American Gastroenterologial Association revised its screening guidelines in 2003 to recommend that people with two or more first-degree relatives with colorectal cancer or a first-degree relative with colon or rectal cancer before age 60 should have a screening colonoscopy beginning at age 40 or beginning 10 years prior to the age of the earlier colon cancer diagnosis in their family (whichever is earliest). Those with a first-degree relative diagnosed with colon cancer after age 60 or two second-degree relative with colon or rectal cancer should begin screening at age 40 with one of the methods listed above, such as annual sigmoidoscopy.
Evaluation of Patients With Symptoms of colon cancerIf patients have symptoms that could possibly be related to colon cancer, the entire colon will be examined. The combination of a flexible sigmoidoscopy and DCBE may be performed, but the preferred evaluation of the entire colon and rectum is a complete colonoscopy. Colonoscopy allows direct visualization, photography, and the opportunity to obtain a biopsy of any abnormality visualized. If, for technical reasons, the entire colon is not visualized endoscopically, a DCBE should complement the colonoscopy.
The diagnosis of colon cancer is actually made by the performance of a biopsy of any abnormal lesion in the colon. When a tumor growth is identified, it could be either a benign polyp (or lesion) or a cancer; the biopsy resolves the issue. The endoscopist may take many samples to exclude any sampling errors.
If the patient has advanced disease at the time of diagnosis, areas where the tumor has spread (such as the liver) may be amenable to biopsy. Such biopsies are usually obtained using a special needle under local anesthesia.
Natural Ways To Cleanse Colon For Better HealthSo the big question in my eyes is why can’t doctors recognize toxin overload in our bodies as an illness? There are so many that preach that our bodies have the capabilities to cleanse themselves, then why is it when we do a natural colon cleanse we feel like a brand new person we renewed health and youth. In my opinion I feel the answer is very simple. The doctors can not make big bucks on a simple illness such as a toxin overload so therefore they are going to play it off on something else that they can prescribe costly medications to you for and make the continuous big dollars that they share with the pharmaceutical companies. I personally think that is why many cures have never been found because if they find a cure the big money will not continue to ponder upon them. They would dry up and starve to death. It is up to us a human being to step up to the plate and take control of our health. Our lives are a precious aspect and only we know how we feel and when we take something whether it be a natural colon cleanse or another supplement for our health how we feel afterwards. Our health is not something to take lightly. I write this article from my own experience in ailing health, over ten doctors sought out with no definitive answers and over a dozen prescription medication prescribed to me which I refused to take. When I discovered healing my body through colon cleansing and other supplementations to detox my body I found a knew life after five years of suffering. I live in a metropolitan city where we have terrible air pollution so it is inevitable that I must continue to detox every single day.
Routine Colon CleansingColon cleansing is considered part of a routine maintenance program. A healthy diet, exercise, meditation and stress reduction all play a role in keeping the body running smoothly, but it still must be cleaned periodically. Colon cleansing performs that service, so the cells and molecules within the internal organs can continue to perform their duties in a clean environment.
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