Colon cancer occurs when tumors appear inside the colon and rectum. These tumors can be malignant, in which case they do not present any danger and they can be removed by a simple surgery, and beningn. Beningn tumors are cancerous tumors that can spread and cause life-threatening complications. If you have been diagnosed with a beningn colon tumor you must begin the colon cancer treatment as soon as possible because if the illness is left untreated it can spread to other organs such as the liver and the lungs. There are three methods of treating colon cancer – by surgery, radiation therapy and by chemotherapy.

Colon cancer surgery is the most widely-used method of treating the disease. In colon cancer surgery, the part of the colon that has the tumor and the infected tissue on it is removed, and then the remaining parts of the colon are sewn back. Lately, colon cancer surgeries are done with the help of an instrument called laparoscope, which enables the doctors operate through a very small abdominal incision, leaving only a small scar behind.

Radiation therapy is a treatment that involves the use of high energy rays that can kill the cancer cells. The advantage of this method is that it can also kill the cancerous cells that have spread and were not detected yet. Radiation therapy is required when the cancer has spread to another organ and the surgery can not remove it form there. The bad part of radiation therapy is that it has side effects that include diarrhea, tiredness or bladder irritation.

Chemotherapy uses special anti cancerous drugs that are injected into the patient’s blood and spread through the whole body, killing all the cancerous cells. This kind of therapy is used when the cancer has spread to many places and surgery or radiation therapy can’t cover such large areas. Unfortunately chemotherapy has the worst side effects. The most common are loss of hair, loss of appetite, fatigue, easy bruising and bleeding, vomiting and diarrhea.

The presence of polyps in your colon should not be so frightening, because the majority are benign. However, in time, they can lead to colon cancer. Studies have shown that people that have their polyps removed lower the risk of developing colon cancer. To detect these polyps and even colon cancer can take as less as five minutes. One of the tests that your doctor can do to detect if you have colon cancer is flexible sigmoidoscopy. This test is very useful because with it’ s help doctors can detect colon cancer in the early stages, thus reducing the risk of death. Doctors can also tell if you are at risk of developing colon cancer with the help of this test, thus being able to prevent it.

However, this test is not very suitable when it comes to hereditary cases of colon cancer. If you suffer from such a case, it is best that you use colonoscopy as a way of detecting colon cancer. Flexible sigmoidoscopy can be done without the help of sedation and this colon cancer test only takes about five minutes. This test can detect as much as seventy percent of all colon cancer cases and the number is even higher when it comes to detecting polyps. When having this test to detect colon cancer, you will fell no discomfort at all. The biggest advantage when using this test is that it can find colon cancer in its early stages and so your changes of getting cured are very big.

The second procedure that one can have to detect colon cancer is colonoscopy. This is still the leading procedure when it comes to reducing the risk of colon cancer. More than ninety percent of all people that use this test reduce considerably their risks of developing colon cancer. This is also a very good procedure when it comes to biopsy or the removal of your polyps. Although the other test seems a little better when it comes to colon cancer, this is the most used and it also gives very good results.

1. Instill healthy habits. Colon cancer usually takes time to develop. Hence you should not wait till you notice the symptoms of colon cancer before starting to adopt healthy habits. Healthy habits include having balanced diet, regular exercise and ensuring that you have an adequate amount of sleep.

Additionally, you should definitely think of including more fiber in your diet. Fat accumulates on the walls of the intestine and rectum. These form lumps of dead cells which can pose a threat to you. For fiber, ensure that your diet includes lots of green vegetables, fruits and water.

Make it a point to exercise a few times a week. Exercise is wonderful for flushing out harmful toxins and waste matter. If they are left accumulated in your body, the toxins can cause cancerous growth.

2. You should take note of your family medical history, since colon cancer is a genetic disease that is hereditary. If you really do belong to the high risk category due to your family history, then all the more you should take extra precautions by leading a lifestyle based on wellness.

3. Quit smoking. Chain smoking raises your chance to developing colon cancer. Inhaling tobacco can easily transfer carcinogen (a cancer agent) to your colon and rectum, thus resulting in colon cancer. Smoking also brings about many other health threats. Hence, you should quit smoking as a top priority.

4. Reduce exposure to radiation. Excessive exposure to radiation has been found to cause colon cancer. Radiation rays are harmful and can cause healthy normal cells to be abnormal. You should make it a point to avoid unnecessary X-rays, CT scans, mammograms.

5. If you find yourself having symptoms like eczema, frequent flu, allergies, weak immune system, poor movement of bowels, low energy levels, bloating, etc, then these signs may be indicative of too much toxins in your body. The only way to get rid of these toxins is to perform colon cleansing before they pose a problem. There are a few ways to perform colon cleansing; including consuming colon cleansing herbs and colon hydrotherapy. You can consult with a natural health expert for more detailed advice.

Colon Cancer is generally cause by wrong way of living. It is very essential for everybody to make a lifestyle change to decrease your risk of getting it. Keep in mind that prevention is way better than to cure. These simple precautions can help you avoid cancer.

Bowel movements can result in bleeding. Even then, there may not be any major discharge of blood and bleeding will be occasional. Dried blood in the stool indicates tumor in colon and normal blood is an indication of tumor in rectum. Blood in the stool can also be due to several other reasons. Constant loss of blood can lead to anemia. Instead of becoming a self-appointed doctor, it is better to have a proper screening done.

Most of the colon cancer early symptoms may go unnoticed as they do not cause severe discomfort or might be considered as other ailments. Narrow stools, for a prolonged period of time, are an indication of some sort of growth in the colon or rectum. The narrowing results as the waste material tries to navigate through the tumor. When there is a growth happening in the colon, it will be reflected in your bowel movement. The cancerous growth hampers the smooth movement of the bowels. This can result in constipation. In a prolonged situation of constipation, you should consult a doctor. Bloating and cramping resulting from constipation are the other symptoms.

Another colon cancer early symptom is nausea and vomiting without any reason. In fact, obstruction caused by tumor can trigger periodic episodes of nausea and vomiting. Flatulence and other disorders caused by gas can be due to the obstruction created by the cancerous growth. A tumor in the rectum causes a feeling of unfinished defecation. Persistent occurrence of such a feeling indicates the presence of a tumor which is mistaken by the body as stool.

Apart from the symptoms related to bowel movement, yet another early symptom of colon cancer is weight loss, which is not attributed to any particular reason like diet or exercise. Such a weight loss is a clear sign that the body is undergoing some serious changes. The tumor might be hampering with the capacity of the colon to absorb moisture from food residues. Weight loss will be followed by fatigue and constant tiredness. Most people are likely to ignore these colon cancer early symptoms as natural occurrences associated with the tough modern daily routine.

Diet: Individuals that eat a diet high in fat are at a higher risk of developing colon cancer. Those that eat a balanced diet and include such things as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables decrease their chances of developing colon cancer.

Colon polyps: Physicians believe that untreated polyps develop into colon cancer. In the majority of cases, these polyps are benign; however, over years without being removed the cells can change due to chromosome damage, which can become cancerous.

Ulcerative colitis: Ulcerative colitis can be a cause of colon cancer. This disorder brings on inflammation to the inner lining of the colon. In the majority of individuals with ulcerative colitis their chances of colon cancer begins to increase after 8 to 10 years of living with the disorder. Research shows colon cancer and individuals with ulcerative colitis include after 10 years 2.5 had colon cancer, after 30 years the rate rose to 7.6 , and after 50 years, it had risen to 10.8 .

Heredity: Past history of relatives with colon cancer increases the risk of this type of cancer. However, 80 percent of all patients do not have a family history of the disease.

Symptoms of Colon Cancer : Many people do not realize they have colon cancer due to the fact that the symptoms may not be present for many years after the development of the cancer cells. The symptoms can differ according to the location of the cancer or the tumor. The right colon is very large and in most cases, the symptoms are not apparent except for the possibility of becoming anemic due to iron deficiency due to the cancer. The left colon on the other hand is smaller and can cause partial or complete obstruction of the bowel bringing on constipation, diarrhea, cramps, bloating, and abdominal pain.