Colon cancer, also known as colorectal cancer is cancer that starts in the colon (large intestine) or rectum. The colon is a part of the large intestine, and it is responsible for the reabsorption of water. It also processes the waste material for further elimination through the rectum. Usually, it affects the elder population, but it may also affect young people. If you are above fifty years of age, you must visit a top gastroenterologist in Karachi for getting a screening test.
A polyp is a benign outgrowth that does not harm your body. However, it can become cancerous at any stage of your life. If you have polyps in your large intestine, then you must get a screening test often. The doctors rate the progress of cancer and stage it according to its spread in your body. The O stage is the initial stage, and the most advanced stage is stage 4. Therefore, you must get a screening test often. It will be easier for healthcare providers to diagnose and treat it at an earlier stage through regular screenings.
Signs and symptoms of colon cancer
The signs and symptoms of colon cancer are
Abdominal pain
Bloating
Diarrhoea
Constipation
Blood in the stool
Narrowed stool
Changes in the frequency of bowel movements
Bleeding from the rectum
Weakness and fatigue
A feeling that your bowel does not empty completely
Unexplained weight loss
Haemorrhoids due to strain on bowel movement
Further complications can result in anaemia and palpitations as well.
Treatment of colon cancer
The treatment options for colon cancer are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Surgery
Your healthcare provider may remove cancerous polyps from your colon if they detect it at an early stage. Otherwise, they would remove a portion of your large intestine that is cancerous. Moreover, they can also perform colostomy- a hole in the abdomen through which waste eliminates.
Radiation therapy
In radiation therapy, your healthcare provider would give you a beam of powerful energy, that is similar to that of X-rays. It works by killing the cancerous cells, and this procedure is done before and after surgery. Usually, the healthcare provider would give radiation therapy along with chemotherapy or surgery.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy includes all the drugs that are given to kill cancerous cells. Since they grow at a rapid rate, some chemotherapeutic agents are used to kill them and some slow down their replication rate.
Causes of colon cancer
There can be many causes of colon cancer. The most common of them are as below:
Polyps
Polyps that are present in your intestine and are initially benign and then turn into cancerous ones.
Genetics
A person can get the tendency of colon cancer through genes, especially if any of the relatives got a diagnosis of colon cancer before the age of sixty.
Age
Age also plays a role in the diagnosis of colon cancer. 91% of people are above fifty years of age who get a diagnosis of colon cancer. However, nowadays it is getting common in young people as well.
Lifestyle
A sedentary lifestyle that makes you obese is also a risk factor for colon cancer. Moreover, junk food, processed food and high-fat diet can also be a causative agent for it. People who are obese and smoke are at more risk of getting colon cancer.
Health conditions
Some underlying health conditions can also be a risk factor for causing colon cancer. These conditions can be diabetes, acromegaly, inflammatory bowel disease- ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
Conclusion
Regular screening will help in early diagnosis of colon cancer. That makes it easier to treat the condition. Avoiding screening can lead to advanced stages of colon cancer. If you are above the age of fifty or suffering from any of the above-mentioned symptoms, you must visit a top stomach specialist in Karachi.
