Colorectal cancer is a condition in which cells in the colon or rectum multiply abnormally. For short, it is known as colon cancer. The colon is also known as the large intestine or large bowel. The rectum is the connecting channel between the colon and the anus.

Colon cancer most commonly affects older persons, although it can befall anyone at any age. It usually starts as small, noncancerous (benign) collections of cells called polyps that grow on the inside of the colon. Some of these polyps can develop into colon cancer over time.

Here are some methods to help protect your colorectal health.

• Get a colorectal cancer screening. Screenings are tests that check for cancer before symptoms appear. These tests can detect colon or rectal cancer at an earlier stage, when therapies are more likely to be effective. For adults at average risk, the American Cancer Society recommends commencing testing at age 45. Precancerous growths (polyps) in the colon or rectum can also be detected and removed using some colorectal screening tests. Polyps are not cancer, but cancer can develop in polyps over time. Cancer risk is reduced by removing them. Consult your doctor about when you should begin screening and which tests are appropriate for you.
• Consume a variety of veggies, fruits, and whole grains. Diets high in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains have been associated to a lower risk of colon or rectal cancer. Reduce your consumption of red meat (beef, pork, or lamb) and processed meats (hot dogs and some luncheon meats), both of which have been associated with an increased risk of colon cancer.
• Exercise on a regular basis. If you are not physically active, you may be more susceptible to developing colorectal cancer. Being more active may lower your risk.
• Take charge of your weight. Obesity and overweight raise your chances of developing and dying from colon or rectal cancer. You can regulate your weight by eating healthier and increasing your physical exercise.
• You should not smoke. Persons who have smoked for a long period are more likely to develop and die from colon or rectal cancer than people who do not smoke.
• Stay away from alcohol. Alcohol consumption has been related to an increased risk of colorectal cancer. It is advised not to consume alcohol. However, the American Cancer Society recommends no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. A single drink contains 12 oz. of beer, 5 oz. of wine, or 112 oz. of 80-proof distilled spirits (hard liquor).

According to research, food, weight, and exercise habits are closely linked to the risk of colorectal cancer. Some of these lifestyle patterns may be difficult to change. Making the modifications, however, can reduce the chance of many other types of cancer as well as other significant conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

Factors that may increase your risk of colon cancer include:

• Older age.Colon cancer can be diagnosed at any age, however the majority of patients are over the age of 50. Colon cancer rates in persons under the age of 50 have been rising, but physicians aren’t sure why.
• African-Caribbean/American race. African-Caribbean/Americans are more likely than other races to develop colon cancer.
• A personal history of colorectal cancer or polyps. If you’ve previously had colon cancer or noncancerous colon polyps, you’re at a higher risk of developing colon cancer in the future.
• Inflammatory intestinal conditions. Chronic colon inflammatory illnesses, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, can raise your risk of developing colon cancer.
• Inherited syndromes that increase colon cancer risk. Some gene changes passed down through generations of your family can dramatically raise your risk of colon cancer. Only a small number of colon cancers have been linked to hereditary genes. Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and Lynch syndrome, often known as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, are the most frequent inherited syndromes that increase colon cancer risk (HNPCC).
• Family history of colon cancer. If you have a blood family who has had colon cancer, you are more likely to develop it. If you have a family history of colon or rectal cancer, your risk is increased.
• Low-fiber, high-fat diet. A normal Western diet that is low in fibre and heavy in fat and calories may be linked to colon and rectal cancer. The outcomes of this research have been mixed. Some studies have discovered an elevated risk of colon cancer in persons who consume a lot of red and processed meat.
• A sedentary lifestyle. Inactive people are more likely to develop colon cancer. Regular physical activity may lower your risk of developing colon cancer.
• Diabetes. People who have diabetes or insulin resistance are at a higher risk of developing colon cancer.
• Obesity. Obese people have a higher risk of colon cancer and a higher risk of dying from colon cancer when compared to people of healthy weight.
• Smoking. People who smoke may be at a higher risk of developing colon cancer.
• Alcohol. Heavy alcohol consumption raises your risk of developing colon cancer.
• Radiation therapy for cancer. Radiation therapy to the abdomen for past tumours raises the risk of colon cancer.

Screenings are tests that check for cancer before symptoms appear. There are many procedures used to screen for cancer. Read more about colon cancer screening methods here.

Colonoscopy, often known as coloscopy, is an endoscopic examination of the large colon and the distal part of the small bowel using a CCD camera or a fibre optic camera on a flexible tube passing via the anus.

Sigmoidoscopy is a minimally invasive medical examination of the large bowel from the rectum to the colon’s closest section, the sigmoid colon. There are two types of sigmoidoscopy: flexible sigmoidoscopy, which utilises a flexible endoscope, and rigid sigmoidoscopy, which employs a rigid instrument.

The use of CT scanning or magnetic resonance imaging to create two- and three-dimensional images of the colon, from the lowest part, the rectum, to the lower end of the small intestine, and display the images on an electronic display device, also known as virtual colonoscopy.

Chemotherapy is a non-invasive treatment for colon cancer. But the effectiveness of that depends on the stage of the cancer. If you do need surgery, the three primary types of colorectal cancer surgery are; open, laparoscopic, and robotic. Historically, open surgery for colorectal cancer was the standard method of tumour removal. Recent technological advances, on the other hand, have enabled more laparoscopic and robotic methods. If you think you or someone you know are at risk, get screened today.

Chemotherapy (chemo) is a cancer treatment that uses anti-cancer medications that are either injected into a vein or consumed orally. These medications circulate through the bloodstream and reach nearly every part of the body. Chemotherapy is frequently used to treat colorectal cancer. Chemotherapy may be utilized at various times during colorectal cancer treatment:

• Adjuvant chemotherapy is used following surgery. The goal is to destroy cancer cells that were left behind during surgery because they were too small to view, as well as cancer cells that escaped from the major colon or rectal cancer and settled in other places of the body but are too small to notice on imaging tests. This reduces the likelihood of the cancer returning.
• Neoadjuvant chemo is administered (often in conjunction with radiation) before surgery, in an attempt to shrink the cancer and make it easier to eliminate.
• For advanced malignancies that have migrated to other organs such as the liver, chemotherapy can be used to decrease tumours and alleviate issues caused by these advanced malignancies. While it is unlikely to cure cancer, it can make individuals feel better and live longer.