How Do You Get Colon Cancer?

What is Colon Cancer?

Colon cancer is the growth of abnormal cells in the colon’s lining. Colon cancer often begins as growth or polyp on an inner wall of one of the sections that make up the large intestine, known as the colon.

Colon cancer usually doesn’t cause symptoms until it has reached an advanced stage. As this happens, signs and symptoms may show up. The cancer usually spreads (metastasizes) from the colon to other body parts such as lungs, liver, or lymph nodes by traveling through the lymph vessels or bloodstream. Colon cancer is a very common disease, and it can be life-threatening if not treated properly.

What are the symptoms of Colon Cancer?

– Diarrhea

– Fecal Impaction

– Abdominal Pain & Cramping

– Rectal Bleeding

– Anemia

-“Blood in the stool.”

These symptoms can be vague and may not signal Colon Cancer right away. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should see your doctor as soon as possible. Colon cancer is not curable, but it is treatable and often manageable depending on the stage of Colon Cancer at diagnosis.

What Causes Colon Cancer?

– Genetics: Colon Cancer can run in families because one or more inherited (genetic) factors may play a role. Colon cancer develops due to the accumulation of changes in Colon Cells over time.

– Colon Environment: Cancer is caused by prolonged exposure and high levels of damage to Colon Tissue.

– Diet: Colon Cancer often occurs due to eating foods with High Animal Fat or processed meat. Smoking can also increase your risk for Cancer. It damages the Colon Outer Layer (Mucosa), increasing your risk of developing colon polyps (which can turn into Cancer). Also, some people who drink alcohol every day may have an increased risk for Cancer.

How to Prevent Colon Cancer?

– Avoid smoking cigarettes

– Lower intake of red/processed meat

– Maintain healthy body weight

– Colonoscopy: Colon Screening is a painless and quick procedure used to detect Cancer.

cancer occurs when Colon Tissue is continuously exposed and damaged over an extended period (10 or more years). Colon cancer has no specific cause, but your risk for cancer can be increased by genetic factors, diet/lifestyle habits, and certain environmental factors. Colon Cancer begins as small lesions in the inner wall of Colon Tissue that grow into tumors that can become malignant over time.

Cancer then spreads to nearby lymph nodes or distant parts of the body through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Colon Polyps are common and usually not life-threatening; however, they may turn into Cancer if they grow in size, become malignant, and develop into cancer. Polyps can be prevented through Colon Screening (Colonoscopy).

Colonization is the invasion of pathogenic microorganisms into the host; Colonization may cause normal flora to become overgrown with pathogenic microbes. Colon Tissue is made up of two primary layers: Mucosa and Submucosa.

The outer layer (Mucosa) consists of epithelial cells shaped like tiny columns joined together by proteins called desmosomes that help provide strength and flexibility. The colon’s inner layer (Submucosa) mainly consists of fibrous tissue and blood vessels, allowing nutrient absorption in the large intestine.

Colon Cancer has no specific cause but is mainly attributed to damaging Colon Tissue over time through Genetics/Lifestyle/Diet factors. Colon Tissue becomes Colon Cancer when Colon Polyps form and turn malignant due to prolonged Colon Tissue damage from Diet, Lifestyle, or Environmental factors. Colon Cancer cells also produce a protein called tumor-associated glycoprotein-72 (TAG-72), which allows the cancer cells to attach themselves to blood vessels to spread Colon Cancer throughout the body.

Colon Screening can prevent Colon Polyps from growing into Colon Cancer as long as it is done often enough (every ten years). Colon Screening is a painless procedure that uses an endoscope with a tiny camera at its tip; this camera sends Colon images to a computer so the colon can be examined for Colon Polyps and Cancer.  Cancer cells do not produce TAG-72, which facilitates the Cancer cells to spread  Cancer throughout the body.

Colon cancer is treatable and manageable but not curable because it often reoccurs after treatment due to incomplete removal of all malignant tissues during surgery or radiation therapy.

Treatment also varies depending on the stage of the cancer at diagnosis: early-stage cancer (stages I and II) may only require surgical resection or colectomy, while advanced stages (III and IV) may require chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted drug therapy, or other types of treatments in addition to surgical resection/colectomy.