Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer, also called colon cancer or large bowel cancer, includes cancerous growths in the colon, rectum and appendix. With 655,000 deaths worldwide per year, it is the third most common form of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the Western world.

Colorectal cancer (cancer of the colon and rectum) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States (after lung cancer). According to the American Cancer Society, almost 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancer were diagnosed and approximately 50,000 people died from the disease last year.

Definition of colon cancer: Cancer that forms in the tissues of the colon (the longest part of the large intestine). Most colon cancers are adenocarcinomas (cancers that begin in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids).

Definition of rectal cancer: Cancer that forms in the tissues of the rectum (the last several inches of the large intestine closest to the anus).

The risk of developing colorectal cancer increases with age. Men and women aged 50 and older are at an increased risk for developing colorectal cancer, and should be screened at least every 5-10 years. Some people are at a higher risk and should be screened at an age younger than 50, including those with a personal or family history of inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer or polyps.

The comparison of colorectal cancer incidence in various countries strongly suggests that sedentarity, overeating (i.e., high caloric intake), and perhaps a diet high in meat (red or processed) could increase the risk of colorectal cancer. In contrast, a healthy body weight, physical fitness, and good nutrition decreases cancer risk in general. Accordingly, lifestyle changes could decrease the risk of colorectal cancer as much as 60-80%.

What are the symptoms of colorectal cancer?

Most colorectal cancers begin as a polyp, which is a tissue growth that starts in the lining of the colon or rectum. Identifying and removing a polyp early in its development may prevent it from becoming cancerous.

Colorectal cancer often has no symptoms until the disease has progressed beyond its earliest stages. Some potential signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer to watch for and ask your physician about include:

The first symptoms of colon cancer are usually vague, like bleeding, weight loss, and fatigue (tiredness). Local (bowel) symptoms are rare until the tumor has grown to a large size. Generally, the nearer the tumor is to the anus, the more bowel symptoms there will be.

Cramping or stomach pain

A feeling that you need to have a bowel movement that doesn't go away after doing so

Rectal bleeding, dark stools, or blood in the stool

Weakness and tiredness

A change in bowel habits such as diarrhea, constipation, or narrowing of the stool that lasts for more than a few days

The treatment depends on the staging of the cancer.

When colorectal cancer is caught at early stages (with little spread) it can be curable. However when it is detected at later stages (when distant metastases are present) it is less likely to be curable.

Surgery remains the primary treatment while chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy may be recommended depending on the individual patient's staging and other medical factors.

Some cancers, if caught very early, can be treated with colonoscopy and without the need for surgery. Newer more advanced minimally invasive techniques, such as laparoscopic or endoscopic resections, allow more patients to undergo curative surgery without the need for lengthy hospital stays or a stoma ("bag"). With these techniques, pain is considerably less and patients are able to return to work and their daily activities in significantly less time than with standard operations.

Smokers are more likely to die of colorectal cancer than non-smokers. An American Cancer Society study found that Women who smoked were more than 40% more likely to die from colorectal cancer than women who never had smoked. Male smokers had more than a 30% increase in risk of dying from the disease compared to men who never had smoked.

Further Information Regarding Colorectal Cancer

Performing a Colonoscopy Information
Colonoscopy is a procedure used to see inside the colon and rectum. Colonoscopy can detect inflamed tissue, ulcers, and abnormal growths. The procedure is used to look for early signs of colorectal cancer and can help doctors diagnose unexplained changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, bleeding from the anus, and weight loss.

Single Incision Total Colectomy
A 32-year-old woman from Maricopa, Ariz., who was at risk for colon cancer, is believed to be the first patient in the U.S. to undergo single-incision total colectomy - an operation in which in the entire colon is removed.

Alcohol and Smoking Key Causes for Bowel Cancer
A new global study has found that lifestyle risk factors such as alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking are important risk factors for bowel cancer. Researchers have shown that people who consume the largest quantities of alcohol (equivalent to > 7 drinks per week) have 60% greater risk of developing the cancer, compared with non-drinkers.

Prostate Cancer Linked to Single Cell
One cell, one initial set of genetic changes, that's all it takes to begin a series of events that lead to metastatic cancer. Now, Johns Hopkins experts have tracked how the cancer process began in 33 men with prostate cancer who died of the disease.

Colon Cancer Shuts Down Receptor that Could Shut it Down
Though a high-fiber diet has long been considered good for you and beneficial in staving off colon cancer, Medical College of Georgia researchers have discovered a reason why: roughage activates a receptor with cancer-killing potential.

Large Intestine Cancer
When large intestine adenocarcinoma spreads outside the colon or rectum, cancer cells are often found in nearby lymph nodes. If cancer cells have reached these nodes, they may also have spread to other lymph nodes or other organs. Large intestine adenocarcinoma (cancer) cells most often spread to the liver.

Pitt Vaccine to Prevent Colon Cancer
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have begun testing a vaccine that might be able to prevent colon cancer in people at high risk for developing the disease. If shown to be effective, it might spare patients the risk and inconvenience of repeated invasive surveillance tests, such as colonoscopy, that are now necessary to spot and remove precancerous polyps.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Colorectal cancer (cancer of the colon and rectum) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States (after lung cancer). March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, so it's a good time to learn more about colorectal cancer and how it can be prevented or best treated.

New Drug may Prevent Colon Cancer
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic campus in Florida have found that a drug now being tested to treat a range of human cancers significantly inhibited colon cancer development in mice. Because the agent appears to have minimal side effects, it may represent an effective chemopreventive treatment in people at high risk for colon cancer, the investigators say.