Colorectal Cancer

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
Colon, rectum, stool, cancer – these are words we don't
like to say, or even think about. Yet colorectal cancer is the
third most common cancer in men and women (what do
you think are the first two?)

First, a little anatomy. Colorectal cancer is a term used to
refer to cancer that develops in the colon or the rectum.
The colon and rectum are parts of the digestive system, which
is also called the gastrointestinal, or GI, system. The digestive
system processes food for energy and rids the body of
solid waste matter (fecal matter or stool).

After food is chewed and swallowed, it travels through the
esophagus to the stomach. There it is partly broken down
and then sent to the small intestine, also known as the small
bowel. The small intestine continues breaking down the
food and absorbs most of the nutrients. The small bowel
joins the colon in the right lower abdomen. The colon (also
called the large bowel or large intestine) is a muscular tube
about 5 feet long. The colon continues to absorb water and
mineral nutrients from the food matter and serves as a storage
place for waste matter. The waste matter left after this
process (stool) goes into the rectum, the final 6 inches of
the digestive system. From there it passes out of the body
through the anus.

Colon cancer often arises from polyps, which are small
growths on the inner wall of the colon or rectum. These
polyps are mostly benign, but some can become cancer.
Those who are at higher risk for colorectal cancer are people
over 50, those with family history of colorectal cancer, and
those who have ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. People
who eat a diet high in fat and low in calcium, folate, and
fiber, and those who smoke may also be at increased risk.
The best means of prevention is to remove polyps, hopefully
before they become cancerous. This can be done
through screening tests such as sigmoidoscopy and
colonoscopy. If cancer is present, the earlier it is found the
more effective the treatment will be. Each of us should talk
to our primary care physician, who will look at our personal
risk factors and decide what tests best fit our needs. By age
50, the American Cancer Society recommends that everyone
begins screening tests for colorectal cancer.

The symptoms of colorectal cancer can include: change in bowel
habits, i.e. diarrhea or constipation, blood (bright red or very
dark) in stool, stools that are narrower than usual, gas pains,
feeling full or bloated, losing weight without trying, and feeling
tired. Usually these symptoms are not due to cancer, but you
should consult your physician.

Beside the removal of polyps as a preventive measure, we should
be sure to exercise and eat an adequate amount of fruits and
vegetables, whole grain foods, and limit intake of high fat foods.
So, if you have not yet discussed your risk factors for colorectal
cancer with your physician, please make an appointment to do
so this month. Let us not allow our fear or dislike of the subject
be the reason that one of us dies early.

(P.S. - The most common cancer in men and women is lung
cancer, with prostate and breast following second.)