Signs That Point To Colon Cancer

When it comes to colon cancer you want to make sure that you catch it early. Unfortunately this is hard for many people to do because they will confuse the signs of it with other health problems.

When this happens they will have things checked out and by that time the cancer has spread and there is not much that the doctors can do about it. That is why people need to be made aware of the potential signs of colon cancer so that they can catch it early and treat it early.

Several digestive problems are signs of colon cancer. If you think that you have diverticulitis, Crohns, ulcerative colitis, or irritable bowel syndrome than you need to see your doctor and ask them to look for a deeper problem. Signs leading to this problem include; cramping, diarrhea, bloody stools, thin stools, constipation, weight loss, anemia, and bloating.

Unfortunately for many people the signs will not even begin to show until the cancer has developed. This might be a few months or a few years. Because of this we recommend that you have a few simple screenings for colon cancer and a colonoscopy.

If you have any of these signs you need to see your doctor right away. These colon cancer signs may seem small at first – but they could lead to a larger problem. It may be nothing at all – but having screenings throughout the year will help. Catching it quickly will help you to treat it and live the rest of your life in peace.

Stages of Colon Cancer

There are five different stages to colon cancer. Each stage is different in severity and will therefore have different treatment options.

Stage 0 – This is the earliest stage of colon cancer. During this stage the cancer has only infected the lining of the colon and is confined to polyps (this is the tissue that is expanding from the surface of an organ). When these polyps are removed during the colonoscopy procedure they no longer have any chance of spreading to other areas of the body.

Stage I – During this stage the polyps has turned into a tumor and has progressed beyond the lining of the colon and moved into the wall. Treatments for this stage will require the removal of a section of the colon that the cancer has infected. This procedure is referred to as a resection.

Stage II – This stage occurs when the cancer has moved on to the tissue that surrounds the colon – but it has not yet spread itself to the lymph nodes. When the cancer has spread for one part of the body to another part it is referred to as metastasis colon cancer. Most will treat this stage with a resection.

Stage III – During this stage the cancer has traveled to the outside of the colon cancer and traveled to the lymph nodes. It has not yet spread to other organs in the body. The treatment is very aggressive and may include; resection and chemotherapy.

Stage IV – In this stage the colon cancer has traveled to other organs in the body (liver, lungs, etc.). Most often times it will be treated with a resection, radiation treatment, chemotherapy, or surgery to remove other parts of the body that are affected.

Insurance Companies Approve New Noninvasive Scan For Colon Cancer

A new procedure has been created to help detect precancerous and cancerous polyps in colon cancer patients. The procedure – which was being tested and researched thoroughly) is a noninvasive scan that avoid the risk of bowel perforation during a colonoscopy. Also this procedure is less painful than the colonoscopy and thus much more preferable to patients.

“We now have another tool to catch these polyps early, and one that’s less risky and easier on the patient,” said Dr. Giovanna Casola – one of the authors on the report and a professor of radiology at the University of California San Diego. “We can save lives, and that’s the bottom line,” she said. “This gives patients a choice.”

The study was published in the new edition of the New England Journal of Medicine – which pushed insurance companies and Medicare to pay for the new procedure -called virtual colonoscopy or CT colonoscopy. Now these insurance companies will cover this procedure – but only for people who are too weak and frail or have intestinal problems that could keep doctors from doing the usual colonoscopy.

Doctors recommend that people be screened for colon cancer when they hit the age of 50 and then every ten years afterwards. If polyps are discovered then you should have tests done more often to ensure that the cancer can be caught early on.

Eat Healthy To Prevent Colon Cancer

According to recent studies colon cancer has quickly become one of the more fatal types of cancer. The risk factor for someone to contract this deadly disease is dependent on several things. For example it is more likely that someone over the age of 50 will have a harder time of avoiding it. Of course this largely depends on the type of foods that they eat and the liquids that they drink. In other words the diet that they have.

A person’s diet is very important in anyone’s life no matter what age. Yet, it seems like we in America feel that we are too busy to eat and cook normal meals. So we eat at the nearest fast food restaurant or we purchase TV dinners. Both of these foods are high in fat, sodium, and cholesterol – which can lead to a high risk of colon cancer.

Physicians are always trying to encourage their patients to eat more foods that will help not only their colon – but also their hearts. Vegetables, fruits, the right amount of protein, and less of the fatty foods are some things that we need to add and change in all of our diets. In fact natural foods are the best types of foods because they are void of any chemicals.

No matter what steps you take to try to prevent this deadly disease it is important that you still conduct physical examinations every year with your doctor. Schedule visits for a colonoscopy regularly to make sure that there is nothing wrong with you and that your body is responding well to the new diet that you are treating it to.