Colorectal cancer - 4th most common cancer in U.S.

In the United States, colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men, after skin, prostate and lung cancer. It is also the fourth most common cancer in women, after skin, breast and lung cancer. It's also the second leading cause of all cancer deaths.

The risk of colorectal cancer increases with age. Other risk factors include a high fat intake, a family history of colorectal cancer and polyps, the presence of polyps in the large intestine, and chronic ulcerative colitis.

The colon is the part of the digestive system where the waste material is stored. The rectum is the end of the colon next to the anus. Together, they form a long, muscular tube called the large intestine or bowel. Tumors of the colon and rectum are growths that start on the inner wall of the large intestine.

Doctors are certain that colorectal cancer is not contagious - a person cannot catch the disease from a cancer patient. Symptoms of colorectal cancer include fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, change in bowel habits, narrow stools, diarrhea or constipation, red or dark blood in stool, weight loss, abdominal pain, cramps or bloating.

When colon cancer is suspected, either a lower GI series (barium enema X-ray) or colonoscopy is performed to confirm the diagnosis and to localize the tumor. A barium enema involves taking X-rays of the colon and the rectum after the patient is given an enema with a white, chalky liquid containing barium.

In a colonoscopy, the doctor inserts a long, flexible viewing tube into the rectum and inspects the inside of the colon. Colonoscopy is generally considered more accurate than barium enema X-rays, especially in detecting small polyps.

If colon polyps are found, they are usually removed through the colonoscope and sent to a pathologist to check for cancer. While the majority of the polyps removed through colonoscopes are not cancerous, many are precancerous. Removal of precancerous polyps prevents them from developing into cancerous tumors.

Unfortunately, colon cancers can be far advanced before they are detected. The most effective prevention of colon cancer is early detection and removal of precancerous colon polyps before they turn cancerous.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends routine screening in men and women 50 years or older. People who are at a greater risk of colorectal cancer should talk with their doctor about whether to have screening tests before age 50, what tests to have, the benefits and risks of each test, and how often to schedule appointments. Even in cases where cancer has already developed, early detection still significantly improves the chances of a cure by surgically removing the cancer before the disease spreads to other organs.

source: ftleavenworthlamp