If cancer is the universal set, then colon cancer is the subset of it…!!
Cancer is a category which does not reflect its symptoms. Cancer classifies into several types, out of which colon cancer is the most discussed topic in the rapid life. People who are experiencing colon cancer are least in count in knowing the symptoms of colon cancer.
People those are residing in United States are in large numbers to get affected by the symptoms of colon cancer. Colon cancer is the third most hazardous kind of cancer that causes death.
Survival rates are increasing day by day because of updated growth in science like in treatments and medicines. This will be advantageous only when we will get aware about the symptoms of colon cancer not in an advanced stage but at an initial stage.
Before moving to the symptoms of colon cancer lets have some brief discussion about the gland named colon and also where this colon is located?
What is colon and its job??
Our human body has two lines of tissue that initiates the process of digestion. One is small intestine and another is large intestine or colon. Small intestine is longer in feet than colon.
Colon is about 5 feet long and 3 inches in width. Colon is a lower part of the gastrointestinal tract.
Large intestine or large bowel is the two names that define the gland named colon. Large intestine or large bowel both reflects the same type of functions as colon.
Colon is bigger in diameter than small intestine. Colon comprises of ascending colon, descending colon, transverse colon, sigmoid colon and the rectum.
Moreover, colon is a part of large intestine which includes cecum and rectum. Large intestine is a mixture of cecum, rectum, and colon. Colon helps in releasing the waste products in the form of stool from outside the body.
After having a detailed discussion about colon, let’s throw some light on what is colon cancer or can say bowel cancer?
Some significant points related to bowel cancer are as follows:-
- Colon cancer is also termed as bowel cancer. Colon is a part of the intestine, so can also be known as intestinal cancer in one way or the other.
- Colon cancer is the third most common type of intestinal cancer that is found both in men and women in United States Of America.
- Cancer is the abnormal growth of cells which multiply on a consecutive basis and destroys the surrounded tissues of the body. Colon cancer occurs when a tumor appears cancerous or malignant in the large intestine.
- Most bowel cancer or intestinal cancers are caused when cells make and discharge mucus and other fluids, forming a tumor in the inner lining of the large intestine.
- Majority of colon cancer cases are spotty which means that causes of symptoms of colon cancer are mysterious or unidentified and detected when no remedy for curing intestinal cancer is left.
- There are many diseases that occur in the body because of some hereditary issue. Colon cancer is one out of it. It may happen that if any of your blood line relation has suffered from any of the category of cancer than this maximizes the chances of causing the symptoms of colon cancer.
- Survival rate of patients who are suffering from the symptoms of colon cancer are increasing day by day. The reason behind this the upcoming growth of science which will be beneficial only if the symptoms of colon cancer are identified at an early stage.
What are the unforeseeable Symptoms of colon cancer??
There are some caution signs which may prevent you from moving to the last stage of colon cancer.
Colon is a part of the digestive tract so the symptoms of colon cancer or bowel cancer would reveal discomfort related to metabolism issue. Some other related factors may also determine the colon cancer symptoms too. Symptoms of colon cancer are treatable only if known at an earlier stage.
Following are the unutterable colon cancer symptoms:-
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Blood in your stool
This is the most vital symptoms of colon cancer that can lead you to the surety of occurrence of bowel cancer. When a stool is associated with blood then it is known as rectal bleeding. One should not ignore any of the recurrent signs or any sudden variation in the body because that might result into the symptoms of colon cancer.
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Persistent diarrhea or constipation or narrow stool
Colon cancer symptoms may also include diarrhea or constipation if prolonged for 2 weeks or more. Any deficiency in the digestive tract may be responsible for the cause of intestinal cancer or bowel cancer.
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Variation in the shape and size of stool might result into the symptoms of colon cancer
While going to the bathroom, if you feel any sort of changes occurred in the stool in relation to its size and shape, then again this would prove you to be the symbol of identifying the bowel cancer. Any change in the movement of bowel habits may be considered to be the symptoms of colon cancer
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Pain in abdomen or a hampering pain lower part of the stomach
If any severe pain or discomfort takes place in the lower part of the abdomen, then it might lead you to the symptoms of colon cancer. A cramping pain in the lower part of the stomach can either be a sign of bowel cancer or some other health issue. But one should not delay in getting the assistance by the doctor.
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A craving to go to the toilet when there is no need with a sense of discomfort
If you wish to go again and again for toilet with no such need, then this symbolizes that something wrong is happening inside your body and should be treated immediately by the doctor. Frequent visit to a washroom may be another sign out of the symptoms of colon cancer or intestinal cancer.
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Jaundice or yellowing of skin and eye
An occurrence of jaundice might result into the colon cancer symptoms. Quickly visit to a doctor and ask for complete examination of the body.
If you find any of these symptoms of colon cancer on a consistent basis, then rush to a doctor for examining.
As I told you earlier that symptoms of bowel cancer are not recognized at an early stage, until and unless it reaches to its advanced stage. But if any of the above mentioned signs that may reflect the colon cancer symptoms are detected in your body initially then this will make your treatment of intestinal cancer successful.
Symptoms of colon cancer are not so obvious, so diagnosis or screening of colon is mandatory…!
In this modern world with so many latest technologies, we have also researched some methods or techniques that will prove fruitful in identifying the colon cancer symptoms.
Symptoms of colon cancer will impact wholly the treatment of colon cancer treatment.
Fecul Occult blood test, sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy are the variety of tests that should be undertaken while examination of bowel cancer.
Let’s throw some light on several tests in a descriptive manner that will make you aware about the symptoms of colon cancer. Awareness of colon cancer symptoms are the first way of prevention from the bowel cancer or intestinal cancer.
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Fecul Occult Blood Test
This is a kind of test which helps in examining the stool that whether the traces of blood occurred in the stool are signifying the symptoms of colon cancer or is a cause of some other health related issue.
- Sigmoidoscopy
This is another type of test that is undertaken in evaluating the symptoms of colon cancer. Under sigmoidoscopy, a flexible tube along with camera is inserted into the rectum which allows doctor in visual examination of the rectum or lower colon. With this tube and camera doctor will recognize that whether the tumor is malignant or not.
- Colonoscopy
Colonoscopy is done through a device named colon scope. Colon scope comprises of a flexible tube along with tiny camera that is inserted into the colon and will provide you the complete disclosure of the entire colon and lower part of the small intestine visually. Colonoscopy will help in identifying the ulcers, size of tumor, colon polyps whether cancerous or non-cancerous.
Through colonoscopy, doctor notices the symptoms of colon cancer more clear and visible.
Sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy are the two distinctive terms but both perform an identical function. They both allow doctor in visual examination of the colon.
The only difference we have in undergoing colonoscopy is that it provides the doctor in examining the entire colon in the body visually. A visual display of the whole colon present in your body will detect more successfully the colon cancer or bowel cancer.
Regular examination of our body will make you aware in grasping the symptoms of colon cancer at an earliest stage. Perhaps identifying the intestinal cancer will make doctors and the patients feel comfortable in preparing the best treatment plan.
Now, readers must be having a question that do these tests are safe to be undertaken.
Colonoscopy is the most used or clear visible test for identifying the symptoms of colon cancer. So, let’s check out whether colonoscopy is safe or not.
Is Colonoscopy safe??
Though colonoscopy is safe but still is associated with few risks. After having a biopsy procedure our body will face some sort of serious complications which might reduce the tenure of life. But for some patients colonoscopy will prove fruitful also.
Colonoscopy is the safest measure for curing the symptoms of colon cancer.
What are the side effects of a colonoscopy??
Colonoscopy does have some after effects attached to it. Some traces of blood can come along with the stool after the procedure of examination.
An unbearable pain in the lower abdomen, ultimately causing swelling to that abdominal part may arise during colonoscopy.
Colonoscopy is helpful in treating the symptoms of colon cancer.
Suffering from disease is our destiny but having prevention from it is in our hands…!
Symptoms of colon cancer are the after way process of your life. One cannot stop the destiny of causing a disease but if we head our life carelessly then this might lead you to hell or maximizes the chances of causing the vulnerable symptoms of colon cancer.
Some preventive measures in reducing the symptoms of colon cancer are as follows:-
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Being on ideal weight
An excess in weight symbolizes the colon cancer symptoms in both men and women. Though this sign is taken as common for everyone but sometimes this may take you to the cause of severe symptoms of colon cancer.
For lowering the symptoms of colon cancer, one should have an ideal weight depending upon the age and height of a person.
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Physical activity on regular basis
An irregularity or physical inactivity might help you to come across the path of symptoms of colon cancer. For reducing the symptoms of colon cancer, one should workout or performs some or the other physical activities like jogging, brisk walk, etc.
Exercising regularly will make your both heart and body healthy.
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Rich intake of nutrients in diet
Intake of foods or appetites that are highly enriched with vitamins, calcium, minerals, etc. will lower the burden of risk of causing the colon cancer symptoms.
Less intake of red and processed meat will reduces the chances of occurrence of symptoms of colon cancer.
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No to alcohol
There are certain diseases that causes because of the consumption level of alcohol. Intake of alcohol acts like a poison for a human body.
Less or no consumption of alcohol will lower the risk of causes of symptoms of colon cancer.
How long would you survive after being diagnosed with symptoms of colon cancer??
An estimate rate of survival rate is 90 percent who lived for at least 5 years after being diagnosed with the symptoms of colon cancer. Some patients may live even for more longer than 5 years depending upon the treatment as well as the resistance power of body.
5 year survival rate depending upon the symptoms of colon cancer or intestinal cancer and stages of colon cancer:-
Patients those who are diagnosed with stage 1 of bowel cancer; there life expectancy is higher in percentage which is 93 percent.
Patients those are identified with stage 2 of intestinal cancer; there life expectancy would decrease at some point and make the percentage to 77 percent.
Survival rate decreases as soon as the stage of colon cancer increases. Now, if known at stage 3 this would reduce to 48 percent survival rate.
Stage 4 is an advanced or the last stage of patient suffering from symptoms of colon cancer. Survival rate is negligible at this point or can say 7 percent worldwide.
Treatment for curing the symptoms of colon cancer
- Surgery: – For cancer that has not extended to other parts of the body, surgery is the treatment for intestinal cancer or colon cancer. In other words, we can say that for stage 1 or stage 2 of colon cancer patients; surgery is the best for treating the dreadful symptoms of colon cancer.
- Chemotherapy: – Chemotherapy proves advantageous to stage 2 and stage 3 patients who are suffering from bowel cancer or intestinal cancer. Usually, stage 3 colon cancer patients require chemotherapy for about six month to show better results in treatment platform. This therapy would deteriorate the symptoms of colon cancer.
Most common chemotherapy is FOLFOX Chemotherapy for curing the symptoms of colon cancer includes the following:-
5- FU
Leucovorin
Oxaliplatin
- Targeted therapy: – Some patients may also elect an additional treatment with a new class of therapy named targeted therapy as a treatment for colon cancer symptoms.
Targeted therapy includes the following:–
Erbitux
Avastin
Treatment of patients those are suffering with stage 4 of colon cancer or intestinal cancer should be tailored with all the three treatments. Combination of surgery, chemotherapy and targeted therapy would prove beneficial in lowering the adverse impacts of symptoms of colon cancer.
Following the treatment of colon cancer, a careful follow-up is recommended by the health professionals. Periodic evaluation of treatment includes routine blood test, CEA, CT Scan, Colonoscopy. There are some prevention’s that may reduces the risk of causing of symptoms of colon cancer.
Life is full of ups and downs and colon cancer is the third most common disease which is affecting the death rate globally. People undergoing any of the symptoms of colon cancer will take you to the downward track in your life.
Here is the time when family support counts in your life in terms of both strength and money. The reason behind is that when a patient gets victimized with the colon cancer, their mental strength becomes weak and for overcoming from this dreadful fact, near and dear ones are desirable.
Stay connected and be healthy as always!!
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