Colon Cancer, Can It Spread?

What is colon cancer?

Colon cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, starts in the colon or rectum. The colon and rectum are parts of the body that store stool before leaving the body.

The colon and rectum can become colon cancers when cells grow out of control and form tumors. There are two types:

• “Adenocarcinoma” originates in glandular tissue (cells that produce mucus, sweat, and digestive juices). It accounts for more than 95 percent can be found in people living in industrialized countries such as America. This type spreads quickly if not treated properly.
• “Sarcoma” develops from connective tissues such as smooth muscle or blood vessels. This type is scarce. Less than 1 percent are of these types.

What causes colon cancer?

Several things can cause it. The most noticeable thing about it is the risk factors involved with getting colon cancer. Most people who have colon cancer have one or more of the following risk factors:

• being over 60 years old
• smoking
• obesity (being overweight)
• genetics (having family members with colon cancer)
• inflammatory bowel disease (IBS, which is diarrhea, nausea, cramping, and bloating for at least three months not caused by another illness), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
• poor diet and lack of exercise

What are the symptoms of colon cancer?

The most prominent symptom is blood in the stool. This can be a new symptom, or it can just look like blood on toilet paper after going to the bathroom. There are also black stools (stool looks like tar), changes in bowel movements such as constipation or diarrhea, and fatigue (feeling tired all of the time). If any of these symptoms last for two weeks, you should see your doctor.

 Can colon cancer spread?

Yes, it can spread into nearby organs and lymph nodes (lymph glands that produce and carry lymph fluid). It can cause more colon tumors. For example: if it spreads to the liver, it is called colon cancer with metastasis. This means that cancer cells are growing in the liver.

 How does colon cancer spread?

Cancer starts when cells in one part of your body start dividing without control or order. When this happens, these extra cells can form a tissue mass called a tumor. This will make additional tumors and if not treated properly, causes colon carcinomas to spread through your blood or lymph system.

Where does colon cancer spread?

When cancers spread, they usually go to areas near where cancer started, such as nearby lymph nodes organs like the bladder, lungs, bones, and brain; but it can spread to other colon or rectum locations.

What are the dangers of colon cancer spreading?

If it spreads, it will cause more tumors and cancers to form, which can block the colon for digestion (food absorption), cause bowel obstructions, and increase pains in the abdomen. The most common places it spreads is to are the liver, lungs, bones, brain, or lymph nodes (lymph glands that produce and carry lymph fluid).

It is a type of cancer that starts in the colon or rectum. It usually forms colon tumors which can spread to lymph nodes and other organs in the body. Suppose colon tumors do not get adequately treated. In that case, it will develop in colon tumors, which causes it (colon carcinomas) to grow even more, and spreads through your blood or lymph system.

It has many risk factors: over 60 years old, smoking, obesity (being overweight), genetics (having family members with cancer), inflammatory bowel disease including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, poor diet, and lack of exercise. It can be treated by surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy if it does not work, and targeted therapy (chemotherapy specifically for colon cancer cells).

It can be hazardous if colon tumors spread. It becomes colon carcinomas which cause cancers to grow even more, and it spreads through your blood or lymph system. It has colon tumors that need to get treated by surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy if it does not work, and targeted therapy (chemotherapy specifically for cancer cells)