Colon Cancer
Colorectal cancer, also called colon cancer or bowel cancer, includes cancerous growths in the colon, rectum and appendix. It is the third most common form of cancer and the second leading cause of death among cancers in the Western world. Many colorectal colon cancers are thought to arise from adenomatous polyps in the colon. One should know the early symptoms of colon cancer to detect the cancer earlier.
Risk factors
• The risk of developing colorectal cancer increases with age. Most cases occur in the 60s and 70s.
• Polyps of the colon, particularly adenomatous polyps, are a risk factor for colon cancer.
• Smoking.
• Studies show that a diet high in red meat[1] and low in fresh fruit, vegetables, poultry and fish increases the risk of colorectal cancer.
• Virus. Exposure to some viruses may be associated with colorectal cancer.
• Alcohol. "Heavy alcohol use may also increase the risk of colorectal cancer
• Low selenium.
Symptoms of Colon cancer
• Change in bowel habits
• bloody stools or rectal bleeding
• Stools with mucus
• Tarry stools (melena)
• Feeling of incomplete defecation (Tenesmus) (only associated with rectal cancer)
• Reduction in calibre of faeces (only associated with rectal cancer)
• Bowel obstruction (rare)
Treatment of Colon Cancer
The treatment depends on the stage of the cancer. When colorectal cancer is detected at early stage, it is to a large extent curable. However when it is detected at later stages, it is less likely to be curable.
Surgery
Surgeries can be categorised into curative, palliative, bypass, fecal diversion, or open-and-close.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is used to reduce the likelihood of metastasis developing, shrink tumor size, or slow tumor growth. Chemotherapy is often applied after surgery (adjuvant), before surgery (neo-adjuvant), or as the primary therapy if surgery is not indicated (palliative).
Immunotherapy
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is being investigated as a adjuvant mixed with autologous tumor cells in immunotherapy for colorectal cancer.
Radiation therapy
Radiotherapy is not used routinely in colorectal cancer, as it could lead to radiation enteritis, and is difficult to target specific portions of the colon.
Prognosis
Survival is directly connected to detection and the sort of cancer involved. Survival rates for early stage detection is about 5 times that of late stage cancers. CEA level is also directly connected to the prognosis of disease, since its level correlates with the bulk of tumor tissue.
Vaccine
The new vaccine, called TroVax, works in a completely different way to existing treatments by harnessing the patient's own immune system to fight the disease. Especialists say this suggests that gene therapy vaccines could prove an effective treatment for a whole range of cancers.
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