1. Colon Cancer By: Kasie Omile

2. The Human Colon The human colon is a muscular, tube-shaped organ measuring about 4 feet long. It extends from the end of your small bowel to your anus, twisting and turning through your abdomen (belly). 3. Functions of the ColonThe colon has 3 main functions. To digest and absorb nutrients from food To concentrate fecal material by absorbing fluid(and electrolytes) from it To store and control evacuation of fecal material 4. What is colon cancer? Cancer of the colon or rectum is called colon or colorectal cancer. It develops in the digestive tract from polyps that initially are benign, but that over time mutate into a cancerous tumor. The cancer cells invade and destroy nearby tissue, and can break away to form new tumors in other parts of the body, a process called metastasis. 5. Symptoms A change in yourbowelhabits, includingdiarrhea orconstipation or achange in theconsistency of yourstool Rectal bleeding orblood in your stool Persistent abdominaldiscomfort, such ascramps, gas or pain A feeling that yourbowel doesnt emptycompletely Weakness or fatigue 6. Treatments/Potential Cures The primary treatment of coloncancer is to surgically remove part orall of your colon. Suggestive polyps, iffew in number, may be removedduring colonoscopy. Chemotherapy after surgery canprolong survival for people whosecancer has spread to nearby lymphnodes. Radiation treatment after surgerydoes not help people with coloncancer, but it does prolong survivalfor people with rectal cancer. Given before surgery, radiation mayreduce tumor size. This can improvethe chances that the tumor will beremoved successfully. Radiation before surgery alsoappears to reduce the risk of thecancer coming back after treatment. 7. You have a high risk of colon cancerif: You have a higher risk for colon cancer if you: Are older than 60 Are African American of eastern Europeandescent Eat a diet high in red or processed meats Have cancer elsewhere in the body Have colorectal polyps Have inflammatory bowel disease (Crohnsdisease or ulcerative colitis) Have a family history of colon cancer Have a personal history of breast cancer 8. Genetic syndromes that increase therisk of colon cancerTwo of the most common are: Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer(HNPCC), also known as Lynch syndrome 9. Preventative Measures All men and women overfifty should get a coloncancer screening becausecolon cancer can almostalways be caught bycolonoscopy in its earliestand most curable stages. Changing your diet andlifestyle is important. Someevidence suggests thatlow-fat and high-fiber dietsmay reduce your risk ofcolon cancer. 10. Sources http://www.endcoloncancernow.org/about/info.html http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/colon-cancer/ds00035/dsection=symptoms http://www.emedicinehealth.com/colon_cancer/article_em.htm http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/colon-cancer/overview.html