Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is characterized by the development of cancer cells in the tissue of the colon or rectum. Risk factors include being 50 or older, smoking, and having a family history of colon or rectal cancer. Symptoms include things such as blood in the stool and unexplained weight loss; however, these possible signs may be caused by other conditions. Treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of treatments.

What Is Colorectal Cancer?
Colorectal cancer is a disease in which cancerous cells originate in the tissue of the colon or rectum. Cancer that begins in the colon is called colon cancer, and cancer that begins in the rectum is called rectal cancer; colorectal cancer is another name for these forms of cancer.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in the United States. In recent years, the number of people diagnosed with the disease has stayed about the same, but the number of people who die from it has decreased. Colorectal cancer is found more often in men than in women.

Risk Factors for Colorectal Cancer
Anything that increases a person's chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Risk factors for colorectal cancer include:

* Being 50 years of age or older

* Having a personal history of any of the following:

o Colon or rectal cancer
o Colon polyps or rectal polyps
o Ovarian cancer
o Uterine cancer
o Breast cancer
o Ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.

* Having a parent, brother, sister, or child with colorectal cancer or polyps

* Having certain hereditary conditions, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (also known as HNPCC or Lynch syndrome)

* Certain diets (such as diets that are high in fat and low in fiber)

* Smoking.

Colorectal Cancer (Cont.)
Colorectal cancer is characterized by the development of cancer cells in the tissue of the colon or rectum. Risk factors include being 50 or older, smoking, and having a family history of colon or rectal cancer. Symptoms include things such as blood in the stool and unexplained weight loss; however, these possible signs may be caused by other conditions. Treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of treatments.

Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer
There are a number of possible symptoms of colorectal cancer, such as blood in the stool or unexplained weight loss. However, other conditions may cause the same symptoms.

How Is Colorectal Cancer Diagnosed?
To make a colorectal cancer diagnosis, your doctor may perform one or more tests. Some of these are the same tests used for colorectal cancer screening. They can include:

* Digital rectal exam
* Fecal occult blood test (FOBT)
* Sigmoidoscopy
* Colonoscopy
* Barium enema
* Biopsy.

Stages of Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer stages are based on whether the tumor has invaded nearby tissues, whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to what parts of the body. Knowing the stage of colorectal cancer is important in planning treatment.

The different colorectal cancer stages are:

* Stage 0
* Stage I
* Stage II
* Stage III
* Stage IV
* Recurrent colorectal cancer.

Treating Colorectal Cancer
People with colorectal cancer have many treatment options available to them, such as:

* Surgery
* Radiation therapy
* Chemotherapy.

Many people receive more than one type of treatment for colorectal cancer, and the choice of treatment depends mainly on the type and stage of the cancer. Your doctor can discuss your treatment choices with you and the expected results.

Colon cancer is sometimes treated differently than rectal cancer. Thus, the treatments for the two are described separately and in more detail in the following eMedTV articles:

* Colon Cancer Treatment
* Rectal Cancer Treatment.

You can also learn about the different treatment options based on the stage of the cancer by going to:

* Colon Cancer Treatment by Stage
* Rectal Cancer Treatment by Stage.

Prognosis for Colorectal Cancer
The colorectal cancer prognosis (chance of recovery) depends on the following:

* The stage of the cancer (whether it affects the inner lining of the rectum or colon only, involves the whole colon or rectum, or has spread to other places in the body)

* The person's general health

* Whether the cancer has just been diagnosed or has recurred (come back).

For more specifics on colon or rectal cancer, visit the following eMedTV articles:

* Colon Cancer
* Rectal Cancer.