| Symptoms of colon cancer do not appear in all | | | | tumors. |
| the patients when the disease is in an early stage | | | | There are several types of polyps: adenomas, |
| but only after it has advanced in gravity. This is | | | | which can become cancerous but are easily |
| why doctors recommend that after a certain age | | | | removed during a colonoscopy; inflammatory |
| people should ask for screenings regularly. | | | | polyps which appear after an ulcerative colitis and |
| Colorectal cancer can give a lot of symptoms but | | | | can also become cancerous and hyperplasic |
| they all match other diseases too like: | | | | polyps which rarely transform into cancer. |
| inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulosis, and | | | | If the cancer passes to a next stage it can affect |
| irritable bowel syndrome. All these diseases can be | | | | the local lymph nodes and then get into the blood |
| treated but they first must be diagnosed in order | | | | stream and affect other organs giving |
| to apply a right treatment. | | | | metastases. |
| Patients come at the hospital because they are | | | | The colorectal cancer can affect old people as |
| constipated, or have diarrhea for more than a | | | | well as young people but most of the cases are |
| week. Sometimes people observe that their stool | | | | recorded at those aged over 50. There are |
| is much thinner than before and that it comes | | | | several factors that increase the risk of |
| with blood. They might be feeling abdominal pain, | | | | developing colorectal cancer: those who have a |
| cramps, and bloating. Most of the patients loose a | | | | family history of colon cancer or other type of |
| lot of weight in a short period of time and they | | | | cancer is at risk; those who drink alcohol and |
| feel that they have not defecated sufficiently. | | | | follow an improper diet can develop this disease. |
| Cancer determines cells to divide in an | | | | Also, people who suffer of Crohn's disease, |
| uncontrollable way. Generally the cells of the body | | | | ulcerative colitis, diabetes, and familial |
| divide only when needed, like when they grow old | | | | adenomatous polyposis are exposed at a greater |
| and other cells need to be produced in order to | | | | risk than others. There is a type of nonpolyposis |
| replace them or when they are in a small amount | | | | colorectal cancer syndrome which also occurs in |
| and the body needs more of them. Because the | | | | the same family members but now people who |
| cells are produced in an increased number, a mass | | | | are at risk can be identified through genetic |
| of unknown tissue will form, known as a tumor | | | | screening. |
| (this tumor can be benign or malign). Doctors | | | | Those who have adopted western diets, are |
| believe that this type of cancer is developing | | | | obese, are smoking and also follow a diet that is |
| from polyps situated in the large intestine. These | | | | rich in proteins and fats and low in fiber are at |
| polyps are considered to be benign but left | | | | risk to develop colorectal cancer. |
| untreated for years they can transform in malign | | | | |