Colon Info

New Guidelines For Colon Cancer Screening

One of the leading causes of deaths due to cancer in the world today is colon or colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer happens when the cells in the colon or the rectum or both mutate into abnormal cells and divide rapidly, forming masses called tumors. At high risk of contracting this disease are middle-aged people who has a personal or a family history of colon cancer and other colonic disorders, those who live a sedentary lifestyle, those who do not eat colon-friendly foods, and those who indulge in vices like smoking and drinking.

Colon cancer is usually being diagnosed during a colon cancer screening when the doctor sees it fit to have a person examined because of symptoms associated with it, like blood in the stools, a sudden change in the bowel movement habit, mucus in and on the stools, changes in the quality of the stools, and black and tarry stools. Colon cancer screening tests are also important because they are ways to check if colon diseases are existing before a person even exhibits symptoms related to them. Early diagnosis will help prevent these diseases, especially colon cancer, from spreading and, ultimately, becoming fatal.

The different types of colon cancer screenings are the following:

1. FOBT or Fecal Occult Blood Test – checks the quality of blood in the stools.
2. Sigmoidoscopy – this examines the lower colon through the use of a sigmoidoscope, which is a lighted instrument that can detect growths in the lower colon.
3. Colonoscopy – this examines the entire colon using a lighted instrument called the colonoscope. They help detect growths in all parts of the colon.
4. Virtual Colonoscopy or Computerized Tomographic Colonography – a special X-ray equipment is used for this test. It takes pictures of the colon and the possible growths in it.
5. DCBE or Double Contrast Barium Enema – this test involves giving the patient enema with a barium solution which is introduced into the colon to help outline the colon in a series of X-rays to help detect growths.
6. DRE or Digital Rectal Exam – examines the lower part of the rectum only. This is conducted by a medical personnel by inserting a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum to feel for abnormalities. This is routinary for physical examinations.

The new colon cancer screening guidelines, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS) in collaboration with the US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer and the Americal College of Radiology, are the following:

1. To be able to find both polyps and cancer:
   1. Flexible sigmoidoscopy for every 5 years
   2. Colonoscopy every 10 years
   3. Double contract barium enema every 5 years
   4. Virtual colonoscopy every 5 years
2. To be able to find cancer:
   1. Guaiac-based Fecal Occult Blood Testing every year
   2. Fecal Immonochemical test every year
   3. Stool DNA test

These colon cancer screening guidelines will really be able to help you determine what to do in cases of colon diseases. You can avail of free colon cancer screening through some hospitals. Also, your health care provider has it covered. It is advisable that you go through one screening for colon cancer from time to time just to make sure that you are healthy and, if something is detected, treatment can be done right away.

What Is A Colon Biopsy?

Perhaps one of the most overlooked systems in our body is our excretory system. We may not be paying much attention to it but our colon and all the other parts of our excretory system is primarily responsible for ridding our body of toxins and waste products. Naturally, if we fail to take good care of our colon, it will eventually fail. Different kinds of diseases can develop from an unhealthy colon and doctors might need to conduct colon biopsies to determine the proper method of treatment for diseases of the large intestine.

A colon biopsy refers to the removal and examination of tissues, cells, and/or fluids from the large intestine. A doctor might find growths in the large intestine during a colonoscopy biopsy and he might try to remove these growths or pieces of such growths. During an abdominal surgery, a doctor might also conduct a colonic biopsy.

Colon biopsies are usually performed when doctors suspect the presence of abnormal growths in the colon of a patient. These growths are also called polyps, which typically mark the benign stage of cancer. Some polyps can look more suspicious than the others due to their size, texture or color. A colon polyp biopsy can be performed on each of the growths as a preventive measure. It is also possible that a biopsy of the colon will show irregular tissues in the large intestine. In this case, further sampling and analysis might be required.

A biopsy of colon tissues involves the removal of polyps or abnormal cell growth. If you are troubled by the thought that a piece of your large intestine will be removed, you do not need to worry any further. Many of those who have undergone a colon polyps biopsy or colon cancer biopsy report that they have not felt a thing during the procedure. This is possible because the procedure is done on the innermost lining or wall of your large intestine (or the mucosa) which is particularly not sensitive to pain.

If your doctor recommends a biopsy of your large intestine and you are a bit worried of the outcome, you can actually expect the colon biopsy results in about a week’s time. Your doctor will need a sample of your colon tissue or fluid which will then be sent to a laboratory for analysis. The analysis will determine whether or not there are cancer cells present in the tissues of your large intestine.

Traditional or Alternative Colon Cancer Treatment?

According to the U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group, in 2005, 72,007 men and 69,398 women were diagnosed with colon cancer, also known as colorectal cancer. People who are 50 years above, has a family of colon cancer or even just colon polyps, and has a lot of vices are more prone to developing colon cancer at any given time.

Although the word cancer might seem a really frightening word since it is the cause of why millions of lives were lost, it is treatable. Colon cancer is not an exception. The traditional colon cancer treatment options are the following:

1. Surgery

The most common among the colon cancer treatments is colon surgery especially if the cancer is detected at an early stage.

1. Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy, or chemical treatment, is used to be able to kill cancer cells and to keep them from dividing and multiplying. It is sometimes recommended as a stage 2 colon cancer treatment, often recommended as a stage 3 colon cancer treatment, and is a must for stage 4 colon cancer treatment.

1. Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is also known as radiotherapy or radiation oncology. As its name implies, it involves the use of radiation to get rid of cancer cells. There is a concern about using this, however, since it may trigger the development of radiation-induced types of cancers.

Aside from these traditional colon cancer treatments, alternative ones are also being considered nowadays. These colon cancer alternative treatments can best be defined in layman’s terms as non-traditional treatments and are generally being accepted only just recently. Some of these colon cancer alternative treatments are the following:

1. Herbal Therapies
2. Nutritional Therapies
3. Biological Therapies
4. Pharmacological Therapies
5. Metabolic Therapies
6. Adjunctive Therapies
7. Energy Therapies
8. Mind-Body Therapies

To be able to determine which colon cancer treatment would be the best for a patient, the doctor would need to run several tests first. Among the colon cancer tests are colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, barium enema, and biopsy. These tests will be able to help determine whether cancer cells are existing in the colon and also, help determine as to which stage the cancer has already metastasized. For advanced colon cancers, which are more or less at stage 3 or 4, the most common treatment is surgery with chemotherapy, which are considered as an advanced colon cancer treatment combination.

To be able to prevent contracting colon cancer as early as now, avoid foods that are high in fat and are low in fiber, exercise often,  and live a healthy lifestyle. To be able to really have a great preventive measures program, you may go ahead and consult a physician.