Colon Disorder: Guard Against Colon Cancer

In case you are nearing forty and happen to have a history of colon cancer in your immediate family circle, you better be careful. You must get the relevant examinations done regularly including occasional colonoscopy that can help you to reduce the risk quite substantially. As a matter of fact, you perforce have to change your lifestyle to keep yourself away from any kind of colon disorder.

Colon Cancer – The Worst Colon Disorder

The first thing you must know that colon cancer is not another of your routine colon disorders such as constipation, hemorrhoids, colitis or appendicitis, etcetera. While these kinds of colon disorders could be controlled through regular examination of your intestinal tract and periodical colon cleansing, instances of colon cancers just can not be tackled as easily as the other colon disorders.

Colon cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is a cancerous growth found in the general area of the colon or the rectum. This is said to be the third largest cancer in terms of rate of occurrence, and second in terms of causing fatality. Even though curable to a certain degree, colon cancer is among the most terrible ones in the list of colon disorders.

Risk Factors

The reasons for the onset of colon cancer are not very comprehensible as yet unlike other colon disorders, which are normally attributed to accumulation of fecal wastes in the bowel along with allied toxins, parasites and bad bacteria. All the same, colon cancer could be cured if detected in time ant removed without any delay.

Even if it may not be considered very pertinent for you to unduly concern yourself on the issue, it will do you no harm if you know the basic risk factors involved with this dreaded colon disorder. A person can be said to have a very high risk of colon cancer if he or she has one or more of the following characteristics:

• Age above 50.
• Normally leading a sedentary lifestyle.
• History of colon cancer in the family.
• Preference for unwholesome kind of diet (mostly high in red meat and low in fiber).
• A smoker
• A heavy drinker (of alcohol).
• Persons with a past history of colon cancer (or polyps) or any serious colon disorder such as Crohn’s disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disease or ulcerative colitis.

Major Symptoms of Colon Cancer

Even though it is extremely difficult to relate any symptoms typical with the onset of colon cancer,

the most common ones generally noticed are :

• A marked change in frequency and consistency of stool and bowel habits interspersed with occurrence of minor colon disorders such as constipation, gas formation, bloating and diarrhea, etcetera.
• Occasional sprinkling of blood or/and mucus in the stools.
• Loss of appetite.
• Reduced body weight without any apparent reason.
• Recurrent abdominal pain.
• Feces with constricted diameter.
• Feeling of incompleteness even after completion of the bowel movements.

Prevention and Cure

As mentioned earlier, this major colon disorder – known for claiming hundreds of thousands lives every year – can be controlled to some extent. The treatment options involved include invasive surgery, minimally invasive procedure such as laparoscopy and also chemotherapy plans, which may be administered independently or in conjunction with surgery.

Prevention of colon cancer, even though not as easy as that of the other less dangerous colon disorders, can be tried through incorporation of suitable lifestyle changes where required. Regular surveillances/examinations can also be undertaken through periodic colonoscopy, which can help in detecting the cancerous growth as well as removing it to a certain extent.

Being aware of the risk factors and readjusting your lifestyle at the right point of time could save you the trauma of going through all the hassles involved with this serious colon disorder. As some one very rightly said, prevention is always better than cure.