Healthy Living Newsletter
The Big 5-0 is a Milestone
It’s also a major risk factor for Colorectal Cancer
Celebrating your 50th Birthday is certainly a milestone. It’s also been identified as a major risk factor for colon cancer. More than 90 percent of people diagnosed with colon cancer are 50 years of age and older. March is Colon Cancer Awareness month. Do you know your colon cancer risk?
The American Cancer Society explains that colon cancer starts with a growth that is not yet cancer. Testing can help your doctor find (and remove) these growths before they become cancerous. If the test finds that colon cancer has already developed, you have a much better chance of beating it if it is found early.
Often combined, colorectal cancer is a term used to refer to cancer that develops in the colon or rectum. These cancers are sometimes referred to separately as colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where they start. Both have common features which is why they are often referred to as colorectal cancer.
The colon and rectum are parts of the digestive system, which is also called the gastrointestinal (GI) system. The first part of the digestive system processes food for energy, while the last part (the colon and rectum) removes waste from the body.
The wall of the colon and rectum is made up of several layers of tissue. Colorectal cancer starts in the innermost layer and can grow through some or all the other layers.
In most people, colorectal cancers develop slowly over a period of several years. Before cancer develops, a growth of tissue or tumor usually begins as a noncancerous polyp on the inner lining of the colon or rectum.
A tumor is abnormal tissue and can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). A polyp is a benign, noncancerous tumor. Some polyps, however, change into cancer, but not all do.
Another type of precancerous condition is called dysplasia. Dysplasia is an area in the lining of the colon or rectum where the cells look abnormal (but not like true cancer cells). These cells have the potential to change into cancer over time. This condition is generally seen in people who have had diseases such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease for many years.
There are also a number of other risk factors associated with colorectal cancer.
During Colon Cancer Awareness Month, the Mercy Regional Cancer Center reminds you now is the time to speak with your doctor about your risk factors as well as develop a colorectal cancer screening plan that’s right for you.
For more information regarding colorectal cancer, visit the Mercy Hospital website at: mymercy.us and review the cancer screening guideline information found in the Cancer Care section. |
