What is colon cancer?
The colon is part of the digestive tract between the small intestine and rectum which occurs in fluid absorption from the intestinal contents and feces are formed. Colon cancer is currently an important public health problem in developed countries. It is the fourth most common cancer in the world. In Spain, there are approximately 19,000 new cases each year.
What are its causes?
It is a cancer whose incidence and mortality is higher in industrialized countries. Approximately 80% of cases are sporadic, but 20% have a genetic influence, with increased familial risk in the need for greater monitoring and control.
Age is a key risk factor, with a sharp increase in incidence after age 50. The presence of a first degree relative who has had double the risk, and quadrupled if the diagnosis of cancer occurred before 60 years of age. The increased incidence is closely related to lifestyle in industrialized countries.
There are different risk factors in relation to colon cancer: the consumption of fats and red meats, especially canned meats or deli meats, obesity, smoking and high alcohol consumption and diabetes associated with obesity . Patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis is most at risk with respect to the general population, especially in Crohn’s disease (risk 20 times higher).
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of colon cancer depend on its location. If the area is located at the end of the colon or rectum, near the anus, tend to strengthen the intestinal tract and usually cause symptoms of intestinal obstruction, diarrhea alternating with constipation, abdominal pain and causing cramping. Cancers in this region produce a sense of bowel movements, and the presence of red blood in stool, bleeding, and ribbon-like stools due to their passage through the area of obstruction. Cancers of the colon near the small bowel rarely cause bowel symptoms and are usually manifest by anemia due to chronic blood loss and subsequent fatigue, breathlessness or palpitations.
In people whose cancer has remained silent for a long time without symptoms, can occur with significant weight loss and chronic fatigue, because of possible metastasis, or secondary infections of intestinal origin.
Tags: Cancer, colon, Colon Cancer, colon cancer causes, Colon Cancer Definition