Colon Cancer

Colon cancer is a growth of cells that begins in a part of the large intestine called the colon. The colon is the first and longest part of the large intestine. The large intestine is the last part of the digestive system. The digestive system breaks down food for the body to use. Colon cancer typically affects older adults, though it can happen at any age. It usually begins as small clumps of cells called polyps that form inside the colon. There are many symptoms of colon cancer based on stages. For early stage, they are mild, means, many people have no symptoms. In the other hand, in later stage, the cancer may have grown beyond the colon, possibly invading nearby tissues or lymph nodes. It also may have spread to distant organs and the lining of the abdominal cavity. This lining is called the peritoneum. As colon cancer symptoms can look like symptoms of other common health issues, such as hemorrhoids or stomachache, the symptoms may be easy to miss or mistake for something else. By the time symptoms become more noticeable, the cancer may be more advanced. For instance, a change in bowel habits, such as more-frequent diarrhea, constipation or changes in stool shape, rectal bleeding or blood in the stool, iron deficiency anemia, which can cause tiredness, weakness and a change in skin color, ongoing discomfort in the belly area, such as cramps, gas, bloating or pain, feeling full soon after consuming, a feeling that the bowel doesn’t empty all the way during a bowel movement, losing weight without trying, swollen lymph nodes above the collarbone, a lump in the belly button area, and, pain in the back, butt or legs. When based on cancer locations, at the left side, they comprise of those in the descending colon, sigmoid colon and about one-third of the transverse colon. These cancers are more likely to cause bowel habit changes and blood in the stool. While at the right side, they consist of those in the cecum, ascending colon and about two-thirds of the transverse colon. They are less common than are left-sided colon cancers. These cancers often cause iron deficiency anemia due to slow blood loss. Signs of right-sided colon cancer may include feeling tired and weight loss. To halt colon cancer, I say again, healthy lifestyle is compulsory. Thank you.