Contents
In this article, we will take a look at:
- What is colorectal cancer?
- How does colorectal cancer occur?
- Who is prone to colorectal cancer?
- Symptoms of colorectal cancer
- Diagnosis of colorectal cancer
- Complications of a colorectal cancer
- Treatment for colorectal cancer
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What is colorectal cancer?
Also referred to as bowel cancer, rectal cancer or colon cancer, colorectal cancer is a kind of cancer which affects the rectum and colon. Colon and rectum is basically a hollow tube which connects the small intestine to the anus. It is roughly 5 to 6 feet in length. Colon absorbs water and stores waste products of the digestion process till the time body is prepared to empty the same. Rectum is the last portion of colon where you will find the sphincter muscles.
Colorectal cancer can be benign or malignant. When it is malignant, the abnormal cells multiply at a phenomenal rate and can spread to other areas of the body and cause damage. The affected malignant tumor in the colon can spread to the lymph nodes and this can lead to the spread of the disease to surrounding areas.
Mostly colon cancers are adenocarcinomas. The cancer cells are present on the inner lining of the colon. The rarer kind of colon cancer encompasses:
Carcinoid tumours- They are present in hormone-producing cells of intestines
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors- This is a kind of soft tissue sarcoma and can be found in any part of the gastrointestinal tract
Lymphomas- This is a cancer of the immune system which usually begins in the lymph nodes and in some cases it begins in the colon.
How does colorectal cancer occur?
Colorectal cancer generally starts as a polyp which is basically a kind of growth present on the inner lining of the colon. Most of the polyps do not lead to cancerous growths. However, there are few which turn cancerous. The two common kinds of polyps which are found in the colon and rectum are:
- Hyperplastic polyp
- Inflammatory polyp
Who is prone to colorectal cancer?
- You could be at risk of developing colorectal cancer if:
- You are overweight
- You do not indulge in the regular physical activity
- You have inflammatory bowel diseases like Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s disease
- You are above 50 years of age
- You have a genetic condition like familial adenomatous polyposis
- Someone in your family has colorectal cancer
- You have a habit of smoking
- You eat a lot of red meat and processed foods
Men have a higher risk of colorectal cancer as compared to women.
What are the symptoms of colorectal cancer? How is colorectal cancer diagnosed?
- The symptoms of colorectal cancer include:
- Change in the bowel habits
- Constipation or diarrhoea
- Blood in stool
- Unexplained weight loss
- Pain in abdomen
- Blood coming out of the rectum
- Constant urge to clear one’s stomach
- Fatigue Lump in abdomen felt by the doctor
- Iron deficiency without any reason in men and women
Diagnosis of colorectal cancer
Screening can detect polyps before they become cancerous. Detecting colon cancer during its early stages improves the chances of cure. Mentioned below are the common screening and diagnostic procedures for colon cancer-
- Faecal occult blood test
- Stool DNA test
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy
- Barium enema X-ray
- CT colonography
- Colonoscopy
What are the complications of colorectal cancer?
If diagnosed in early stages, colorectal cancer can be properly cured. However, in its later stages, it can cause death. Treatment will not cure it if cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Some of the complications of colorectal cancer include:
- Blockage of the colon, leading to bowel obstruction
- Spreading of cancer to other tissues and organs
What is the treatment for colorectal cancer?
Treatment for colorectal cancer depends on the stage it is diagnosed at, size of cancer polyps and its location. Treatment includes surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. If cancer gets detected in the early stages, surgery can be done to remove it. Radiation and chemotherapy are used to reduce the size of a tumour too. In this, the proteins which promote the growth of cancerous cells are specifically targeted. In radiation therapy, there is the use of high-frequency radiation beams to inhibit multiplication of cancer cells.
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