What Is Colorectal Cancer?
Colorectal cancer is the cancer types occurring due to uncontrolled growth of cells in vermiform appendix, rectum and colon of an individual. This cancer type is also often referred to as bowel cancer. Colorectal cancer is a different condition than anal cancer, a cancer type affecting our anus.
Statistics suggest that currently colorectal cancer is the 3rd most common cancer type affecting American men and women equally. Besides that, colorectal cancer is also rated as the 3rd most common cancer type leading to cancer deaths in the US. Whether or not a patient diagnosed with colorectal cancer recover from the condition depends on several factors; the most essential among them is the stage in which the cancer is detected. If colorectal cancer has been diagnosed when the cancer is still in an early and localized stage, 90% of the patients are likely to enjoy a 5 year survival. During detection, if the cancer has already invaded the surrounding organs or lymph nodes, the percentage of 5 year survival drops to 70%. Finally, only 12% of the patients with colorectal cancer spreading to distant organs like liver and lungs enjoy 5-year survival. However, it has been seen that if only one tumor (or even a few of the cancerous tumors) invade the distant organs, eliminating the cancer is possible by removing the tumors surgically. This surgical removal of tumors helps in improving the 5 year survival rate up to a great extent.
Colorectal cancer begins from lining of the patient's bowel. When not treated at the right time or when left untreated, this cancer type can invade into the muscle layers present beneath the bowel. Untreated colorectal cancer can also pass through the patient's bowel wall and move to other organs of his or her body. Majority of the colorectal cancers start in form of small growths in the wall of the bowel; this growth is medically referred to as an adenoma or colorectal polyp. However, getting an adenoma does not mean that you are suffering from colorectal cancer; these tumors can also be benign; only in rare cases the tumors contain cancerous cells. The test commonly used for diagnosing localized bowel cancers is called colonoscopy.
What are the symptoms of colorectal cancer? Colorectal cancer can result in the following symptoms:
- Changes in the bowel habit
- Blood in stool
- Constipation and frequent diarrhea
- Persistent fatigue and tiredness
- Unexplained anemia
- Abdominal discomforts like bloating, feeling of fullness, cramps, gas pains etc
Dietary Guidelines for Preventing Colon Cancer
The last part of our digestive system consists of the bowel, a body part commonly referred to as colon or large intestine. The primary functions of the colon are storing the waste products formed after digestion of food and emptying them into our rectum for final elimination. As a person starts growing in age his risk of developing colon cancer increases. The other most common risk factor of this cancer type in heredity; if you have family history of colon cancer, you are at higher risk of getting the disease. Following certain dietary guidelines can help in reducing one’s risk of having colon cancer. Below, we have presented some useful dietary tips for preventing colon cancer.
A diet plan meant for colon cancer prevention should contain plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits. The vegetables [...]
Colorectal Cancer Treatment Options
The colorectal cancer treatment options prescribed by the physician depend on which stage of the disease the patient is in. Colorectal cancers diagnosed in an early stage i.e. when the disease has spread very little, one can expect recovering from it completely. But, colorectal cancers diagnosed in a later stage i.e. when the patient has already experienced distant metastases, the disease is unlikely to be cured. The primary treatment option for colorectal cancer is surgery; the doctor might also recommend radiotherapy and chemotherapy based on the staging of the cancer and some other medical factors.
Statistics reveal that majority of the individuals diagnosed with colon cancer are elderly; determining how aggressively an elderly colon cancer patient can be treated, particularly after a [...]
5 Simple Ways of Avoiding Bowel Cancer
Prevention of bowel cancer in 1 from 4 cases is possible simply by lessening intake of alcoholic drinks, red meats and engaging in more exercising.
Scientists have claimed that being watchful of waistline measurement and halting the abhorrent smoking habit are other vital means of staving one of the leading eradicators in Britain. They made an identification of 5 lifestyle modifications which can curb bowel cancer risk by twenty-three percent and a number of cancer forms.
A trial looking at consumption of alcohols, waistline circumferences, dietetic intake, smoking and exercising appeared in the recent edition of the British Medical Journal. The trial found that people who incorporate merely a single suggestion for healthful lifestyles can lessen their risk for bowel cancer developing [...]
Huang Qin Tang Chinese Brew may lessen Chemotherapy Side-effects
A primeval Chinese brew might aid in reducing gut damage arising due to chemotherapy administered to colorectal cancer patients, according to study scientists from the Yale Univ. School of Medicine, U.S.
For meeting the burgeoning customer demands, scientists in the area of traditional medicine are working to corroborate the efficiency of primordial medications employing Western styled animal tests as well as human scientific studies.
According to a paper printed in ‘Science Translational Medicine’ the investigators stated that the cancer-afflicted rodents were given the Chinese concoct following chemotherapy session employing irinotecan which has established toxic effects on the intestines and causal to loose bowels.
Study researchers pointed out that when cancer-ridden rodents [...]
Novel Cetuximab Usage Recommendation for Colon Cancer Treatment
In a study printed in the latest edition of the American Society for Clinical Oncology Post, issuing of new-fangled advice on the deployment of medication cetuximab has surfaced following medical health professionals halting recruitment in a third phase of scientific study for people having colon cancer metastasized to the local lymph nodes whose tumor excision via surgery has been done.
On the basis of previous trials, cetuximab is presently suggested as therapy among people having later staging colorectal cancer and among whom the tumors did not have presence of a mutation in the KRAS gene.
KRAS belongs to the sequence of genes along a path way which could cause tumor growth and division and elude signs which cause cell shutdown and hence fatality. On the basis of outcomes in later [...]
Groundbreaking 5-Minute Flexi-Scope Test to Ably Screen Bowel Cancer Symptoms
A mere 5-minute test for elderly people of fifty-five years old could help salvage many lives from bowel cancer related fatality. Specialists believe that the singular research would be a leading advancement in tackling bowel cancer and made a call for NHS funding.
The pain-free test could effectively spot bowel cancer symptoms, thus preventing five thousand cases of the condition from advancing and cutting three thousand fatalities annually.
Prof. Wendy Atkin at the Imperial College London who helmed the study stated that this test was the foremost of its kind screening method which has been found to avert bowel cancer.
It is anticipated that the test would be available nationwide in the next 3 years. Though previous identification and medications have diminished disease-related fatalities, [...]
Do You Know What Causes Colon Cancer?
Have you ever wondered exactly what causes colon cancer or increases the risk of developing this type of cancer? There are many things that have been determined to either directly cause colon cancer or at the very least contribute to increasing the risk of developing colon cancer. Many of these factors may include things you do on a daily basis and others may include things that have no connection to you whatsoever. Either way it is still important to know what these causes and risk factors are in order to know if you need to make changes within your own life to either prevent developing colon cancer altogether or at least lower your chances of being affected by this disease.
Polyps
These are formations often referred to as colon polyps that develop within the colon. If you or someone [...]
Certain Foods lower Efficacy of Colon Cancer Drugs
A latest study has indicated that a medicine merger noted at packing a potent strike at fighting colon cancer could solely take effect in individuals that went easy on particular victuals, inclusive of red meats, corn, pea and OJ (orange juice).
Investigators just 2 years earlier has cited that a grouping of the beleaguered cancer agent DFMO and sundilac – medicine for treating arthritis reduced the chances of colon polyp growths which could be causing colon cancer.
Presently, the analogous investigative group have uncovered that the medicine’s drastic polyp-reducing outcomes could be restricted to individuals that had lesser consumption of food items loaded with polyamines – chemicals present in foods which has been associated with greater likelihood of developing colon cancer.
Investigators [...]
CD24 Protein-Detecting Novel Blood Test For early Colorectal Cancer Recognition
According to outcomes of a recent study performed, a new-fangled promising blood test could detect and also prevent colon cancer.
The test could identify CD24 protein which is present in high amounts in colon cancer as well as in growths that ordained to develop into colon cancer. In comparison, the CD24 protein levels are low in normal tissue.
The researchers stated that CD24 production is early on when colorectal cancer develops and could be involved in metastasis.
Colon cancer is mostly detected in later stages when the chances of recovery are usually dim. The new blood test aims at detecting the cancer early on when it is treatable.
The test could additionally be beneficial for recognizing patients for whom colonoscopy would be beneficial.
Colorectal cancer is one of the [...]
Diagnosing And Treatment Of Colorectal Cancer
In case, the tests indicate the presence of a tumor, the subsequent approach would be undergoing a biopsy procedure.
During the colonoscopy procedure, polyps are removed and tissue samples are drawn from dubious sections of the colon which appear abnormal. The tissue sample is then sent for microscopic evaluation for establishing the presence or absence of malignancy.
Staging:
In case cancer has been diagnosed, then its staging – a method of determining the extent of metastasis of the cancer is performed. There could be no correlation between the size of the tumor and the cancer staging. Staging additionally allows the doctor to ascertain the form of therapy that the patient would undergo.
Stage I
The cancer has not metastasized past the inner areas of the colon or the rectum.
Stage [...]
Bowel Cancer Symptoms
Bowel cancer is the form of cancer affecting the cell lining of the bowel due to their uninhibited growth leading to the formation of clumps called as bowel polyps or adenomas that are generally non-malignant in nature. Though these clumps are not cancerous they could in eventual span of time turn malignant wherein the cancerous cells metastasize past the initial location to other body parts.
Bowel Cancer Symptoms:
The prevalent bowel cancer symptoms include:
A continual variation in bowel movements, particularly feeling the need to visit the loo more recurrently or having loose bowels for many weeks on end.
Blood loss from the back route or blood emitted while passing bowels.
Acute pain in the abdomen.
A lumpy appearance palpated in the abdominal region.
Inexplicable exhaustion [...]
Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal Cancer is the form of cancer occurring due to irregular growth of the cells that line the colon or the large intestine or the rectum. This form of cancer holds the third position for the most commonly detected cancer amongst both sexes and the second rank for the peak reason for cancer fatalities in the United States. However, when detected early on, it has high cure rates.
How it originates?
Colorectal Cancer mostly starts as polyp formations or non-malignant appearances on the exterior of the colon. The two prevalent forms of intestinal polyp formations are adenoma and hyperplastic polyp which evolve due to the flaws in the growth and restorative process of the cells that line the colon. Majority of the polyps stay benignant, however few have the probability of turning malignant. [...]
Fractional Inclusion To TMZ Chemotherapy Drug Could Ably Combat Colon Cancer
Scientists from the University of Florida have come up with a means of using merely fractional portion of the usual dose of an immensely lethal, incapacitating chemotherapy drug for achieving favourable outcomes in treating colon cancer.
Further investigation is required prior to the treatment being implemented on patients; however the findings in human colon cancer cells and mice having recognized human tumors indicates that the inclusion of a tiny molecule to the cancer drug TMZ or Temozolomide interrupts restorative means in a form of tumor cells which are increasingly defiant to treatment.
The researchers explained that this is a notable finding as apart from belligerent surgery with probably chemotherapy, there are no definite courses of treatments in case of colon cancer. The rate [...]
