In this blog, we will discuss in detail about the symptoms, causes and treatment of colon cancer.
What is Colon Cancer?
Colon cancer, also called colorectal cancer of the large intestine, is cancer in the long tube that carries digested food and stool out of the body.
Colon cancer develops as a polyp in the inner lining of the colon and can spread to other parts of your body if it is not detected or treated. Thanks to screening tests, the condition can be treated early if detected early.
How Does This Condition Affect People?
The wall of the colon consists of layers of mucous membrane, tissue, and muscle. Colon cancer begins in the mucosal area. It contains cells that make and release mucus and other fluids. Any mutation in these cells' colon polyp indicates colon cancer.
Over the long term, a colon polyp can become cancerous. If undetected and/or treated, the cancer can spread through the tissue, muscle, and outer layer of the colon to other parts of your body through your lymph nodes or blood vessels. It spreads.
What Are the Symptoms of Colon Cancer?
There are no early symptoms of this disease, but here are some common symptoms of colon cancer, these are
- Blood in stool: Blood in the stool may be a sign of colon cancer, although certain diagnostic tests may require confirmation, as other conditions such as haemorrhoids and fissures may change the texture of your stool. Consult your healthcare provider for further information
- Change in bowel movements habits: Any persistent change in bowel habits could be a sign of colon cancer, or if you feel like you still need to poop after going to the bathroom.
- Stomach pain: Unbearable abdominal pain without any known cause may be an early symptom, although talk to your doctor for more information and investigation.
- Abdominal pain: Flatulence that may be due to some other reason may be a cause, but first. If abdominal swelling persists for more than a week or gets worse over time, talk to your healthcare provider
- Unexplained weight loss: Unexplained weight loss may be a sign of colon cancer, but consult your doctor first and get tested if needed.
- Vomit: If you have a lot of vomiting within 24 hours, it could be a sign of a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention.
- Fatigue and shortness of breath: These are all symptoms of anaemia, which can be a sign of colon cancer.
What Are the Causes of Colon Cancer?
Colon cancer, like all other cancers, is caused by uncontrolled cell division in which cells in your colon and rectum keep growing and dividing, resulting in the formation of colon polyps.
However, researchers are still figuring out why people are more likely to develop precancerous polyps and colon cancer. However, some risk factors are mentioned below.
Those risk factors include certain medical conditions, hereditary conditions, and lifestyle choices. However, understanding the risk factors can help you decide whether you should talk to a healthcare provider about your risk of developing colon (colorectal) cancer.
What Are the Possible Risk Factors for Colon Cancer?
- Passive Lifestyle: A sedentary lifestyle may increase your risk of developing colon cancer.
- Smoking and Drinking: Smoking and drinking alcohol can be major risk factors for this condition and can increase your risk of developing colon cancer.
- Unhealthy Diet: Eating fatty and high-calorie foods can affect your weight and increase your risk of colon cancer.
Processed meats, including bacon sausage and lunchmeats, may also increase, in which case your healthcare provider may advise you to limit red meat and processed meats sometimes.
What Are Some Medical Conditions That Increase the Risk of Colon Cancer?
- Inflammatory bowel disease: Conditions, such as chronic ulcerative colitis and Crohn's colitis, cause inflammation in the colon lining, and may increase the risk of colon cancer. Because it affects large areas of your colon
- Hereditary Conditions: Genetic conditions such as Lynch syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis can increase your risk of developing colon cancer. Colon cancer can occur if you have inherited a gene that causes cancer.
- Family history of colon and other cancers: Close family members include your biological parents, siblings, and children. If a biological family member gets colon cancer before age 45, your risk may increase.
- Colon Polyps: People with multiple colon polyps, including adenomas, serrated polyps, or other types of polyps, have an increased risk of developing polyps and colon cancer.
Diagnosis and Test
Several blood and radiology tests can be done to diagnose the condition in its early stages.
Blood Test
- CBC test
- Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP).
- Carcinoembryonic Antigen(CEA assay): Measures CEA levels that may indicate colon cancer.
Radiology Test
What Are the Common Colon Cancer Screening Tests?
Colonoscopy is usually preferred, but there are some other tests which include
- Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT): In this, medical pathologists check for blood in your stool samples which you cannot see just by looking.
- Faecal Occult Blood Test: Like the FIT, this test checks for blood in the stool that may not be visible.
- Faecal DNA Test: This test detects genetic mutations and blood products in your stool.
Management and Treatment
Colon cancer can be treated in the following ways
- Polypectomy: In this surgery, cancerous polyps are removed.
- Partial colectomy: In this, the surgeon removes the part of your colon that contains the tumour and some surrounding healthy tissue nd reassembles the remaining parts
- Surgical Resection with Colostomy: Just like a partial colectomy, however, they cannot connect the healthy colon section. Instead, they perform a colostomy. Your bowel is moved into a hole in your abdominal wall so that your stool is collected into a bag.
- Radiofrequency Ablation: Uses high heat to destroy cancer cells.
- Chemotherapy: Healthcare providers may use chemotherapy drugs to destroy cancerous cells and
- Targeted therapy: This treatment specifically targets genes, proteins, and tissues that help colon cancer cells grow. Healthcare uses monoclonal antibody therapy. To make antibodies that attach to specific targets on cancer cells and kill them specifically
What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor?
You may ask some questions after your examination these are
What kind of colon cancer do I have?
- Can you cure this type of colon cancer?
- What are the chances of my colon cancer coming back?
- If you can't cure cancer, can you stop it from spreading?
- If you can't stop cancer, should I get palliative care?
- What is the stage of cancer?
- What are the effective treatments for colon cancer?
- If I need surgery, what type of surgery would you recommend?
- Will I need a colostomy?
- Will I need other types of cancer treatment?
- What are the side effects of treatment?
- Are clinical trials an option for me?
A note from Ganesh Diagnostic
Colon cancer has become one of the leading cancers to consider even before symptoms appear, all thanks to screening and diagnostic tests that help detect it at an early stage. Recent data shows that about 90% of people treated for early-stage colon cancer were alive five years after diagnosis. Also, the development of advanced medical treatments helps in quicker recovery. But if you want to get good treatment, then choose the top Diagnostic centre and make your life happy and positive.
