Colon cancer affects the large intestine (colon).
It usually affects older adults, but can happen at any age. It starts as polyps in the colon.
Polyps may remain symptomsless.
Symptoms
- Change in your bowel habits- diarrhea or constipation
- Bleeding in stool
- Persistent abdominal pain
- Incomplete evacuation of Bowel
- Unexplained weight loss
Risk factors
- Older age
- African-American race
- History of colorectal cancer or polyps
- Inflammatory intestinal disease:
- Ulcerative colitis
- Crohn’s disease
- Genetics
- Family history
- Low-fiber, high-fat diet
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Alcoholism
- Radiation exposure
Screening for colon cancer can be done for elderly >50 yrs in high risk population.
Lifestyle changes
Diagnosis
Screening
Diagnosing colon cancer
Treatment
A multidisciplinary team of gastroenterologists, colon and rectal surgeons, oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, and pathologists are needed to treat colon cancer.
Surgery for early-stage colon cancer
- Polypectomy
- Endoscopy
- Minimally invasive
- Partial colectomy
- Partial colectomy
- Lymph node Surgery
Chemotherapy
Radiation therapy
Drug therapy
Immunotherapy