|
Behind deaths due to complications from smoking, colon cancer is the most preventable type of cancer in the United States. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), colon cancer occurs when malignant cells form in the tissues of the colon. Early detection through the use of screening tools puts the cure rate at more than 90 percent.
According to Ibrahim Shalaby, M.D., at Covenant Health System Joe Arrington Cancer Center, the most common risk factors include:
- Age 50 or older;
- Adenomatus polyposis syndromes;
- Family history of polyps or colon cancer
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Dietary factors including a diet high in fat and high alcohol and tobacco consumption (resulting in double the colon cancer risk)
Patients should be aware of symptoms including: blood in the stool, unexplained weight loss, diarrhea, frequent gas pains, boating, vomiting and feelings of fatigue. Prognosis and treatment options depend on the patient's general health as well as the stage in which the cancer is detected.
Despite high cure rates and screening tests, almost 30,000 men died from the disease last year. Because colon cancer progresses slowly with a predictable pattern, screening tests are highly effective tools. When the disease is detected early, treatment options are highly effective. The Joe Arrington Cancer Center treated 142 cases of colon cancer in 2004.
To find out more, visit the Joe Arrington Cancer Research and Treatment Center Web site at http://www.joearrington.org .
|