March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month. Colon cancer also known as colorectal cancer, is a type of cancer that develops in the tissues of the colon or rectum, which are parts of the digestive system. The colon is the first and longest part of the large intestine, responsible for absorbing water and nutrients, and converting waste into stool. The rectum is the lower part of the large intestine where stool is stored.
How it develops
• Colon cancer often starts as small, non-cancerous growths called polyps on the inner lining of the colon or rectum.
• Some types of polyps can transform into cancer over time, making early detection and removal crucial.
Symptoms
This type of cancer often has no symptoms in the early stages, which is why regular screening is vita, though at a later stage some common symptoms may appear,which may include,
• Blood in the stool (rectal bleeding).
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Fatigue and weakness.
• Changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation, or narrowing of the stool
. • Continual urges to defecate despite passing stools
• Abdominal cramps, pain, or bloating.
Risk factors
1. Age: Colon cancer is more common in older adults, with the median age of diagnosis being over 65.
2. Family History: Having a family history of colon cancer increases your risk.
3. Genetics: Certain inherited genetic conditions, like Lynch syndrome (HNPCC) and Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP), can increase the risk.
4. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Conditions like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease can increase the risk of colon cancer.
5. Lifestyle: Certain lifestyle factors, such as a diet high in processed meats and red meat, lack of physical activity, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption, may also increase the risk.
Screening and prevention
1. Regular screening tests, like colonoscopies, can detect precancerous polyps and colon cancer early, when treatment is most effective.
2. Early detection and removal of polyps can prevent colon cancer from developing.
Treatment
• Treatment options for colon cancer depend on the stage and location of the cancer, as well as the patient’s overall health.
• Common treatments include surgery to remove the cancer, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
• In some cases, targeted therapy or immunotherapy may also be used.
Survival rates
1. The 5-year relative survival rate for colon cancer is 63% overall.
2. The survival rate varies depending on the stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis.
3. Localized colon cancer has a 5-year relative survival rate of 91%, while distant colon cancer has a 5-year relative survival rate of 13%. Stages There are different ways of assigning a stage to cancer. The stages indicate how far cancer has spread and the size of any tumors.
In this cancer, the stages develop as follows,
1. Stage 0: At this point, the cancer is in a very early stage. It has not grown farther than the inner layer of the colon and will usually be easy to treat.
2. Stage 1: Cancer has grown into the next layer of tissue.
3. Stage 2: Cancer has reached the outer layers of the colon but has not spread beyond the colon.
4. Stage 3: Cancer has grown through the outer layers of the colon and reached one to three lymph nodes. It has not spread to distant sites.
5. Stage 4: Cancer has reached other tissues beyond the wall of the colon. As stage 4 progresses, colon cancer reaches distant parts of the body.