Relevance of Colon Cancer Screening
Colon cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the large intestine (colon). The colon is the final component of the digestive path.
Colon cancer affects older people, but it may happen at any age. It typically starts as small, noncancerous or benign cell clumps called polyps that grow on the inside of the colon. With time some of the polyps may turn to colon cancer.
Polyps can be small and produce few, if any, symptoms. For this reason, doctors recommend routine screening tests to help prevent colon cancer by finding and eliminating polyps before they turn into cancer. Colon cancer screening from the age of 45 is the way of early detection of polyp growth.
When colon cancer occurs, many medications are available to help manage it, including surgery, radiation therapy and drug treatments, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy.
Colon cancer is also called colorectal cancer, and is a word that includes colon cancer and rectal cancer, which begins in the rectum.
Symptoms
A frequent change in your bowel habits
Rectal leakage or blood in your stool
Persistent stomach pressure, such as cramps, gas or pain
A sensation that your bowel doesn't empty completely
Weakness or exhaustion
Unexplained and sudden weight loss
Colon cancer diagnosis
Examining the inside of your intestines with a scope (colonoscopy). Colonoscopy is a procedure that involves viewing the entire colon and rectum through a long, flexible, and slender tube connected to a video camera and monitor. Your doctor will use surgical instruments to take tissue samples (biopsies) for examination and remove polyps if any abnormal areas are discovered.
Blood tests -You can't say whether you have colon cancer from a blood test. However, your doctor can order blood tests to check for signs of overall health, such as kidney and liver function.
The doctor may need to do blood tests for finding traces of a chemical that is often released by colon cancerous cells. With regular tracking, it may help the doctor to comprehend the diagnosis and treat the colon cancer and understand how your body is responding.
Minimally invasive surgery - Polyps that are removable using a colonoscopy may be eliminated by a minimally invasive surgery. Through this process, the surgeon does the surgery by doing multiple incisions on the abdominal wall. Furthermore, the doctor inserts instruments with attached cameras to get a view of the affected colon. The doctor may also collect samples from the lymph nodes of the affected area.
See us at Digestive Disease Specialist for colon cancer screening. For any gastroenterological issues, visit us.
**Disclaimer: This blog content does not offer a doctor's advice and creates no relationship between any patient and care provider.
