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[marshbags]

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Colon Cancer

Increasingly silent, and deadly

Published: 1/10/2009 at 12:00 AM

Newspaper section: Mylife

Are you middle aged? Is steak an absolutely to-die-for menu item for you? Do you spend a lot of time sitting and working with a computer? Do you have chronic constipation? If you answered "yes" to some of these questions, you may find this article useful.

Colon cancer in Thailand

Colon cancer is prevalent among Thais. According to Globocan 2002, colon cancer was the third most common malignant disease in Thai males, while it ranked fifth among Thai females.

"However, the rate of colon cancers among Thai people is bound to go up, with about 5,000 new cases diagnosed nationwide every year. These days, Thai people tend to have an imbalanced and unhealthy diet. Sedentary lifestyles can also contribute to the development of the disease," said Vorachai Ratanatharathorn, MD, professor of Medicine and Oncology at Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University.

Getting to know the colon

The colon is one of the most important parts of the body's digestive system. It is a hollow, twisting tube with a lining inside. In adults, the colon measures about 1.8m long on average and is about 35mm in diameter. Its primary function is transporting waste from the small intestine to the rectum. Importantly, it absorbs water from the waste. In this way, the colon can absorb harmful materials during the digestive process.

What causes colon cancer?

It's believed that the disease begins with a polyp, a small abnormal growth in the lining of the colon. Not all polyps are cancerous. They can be benign or malignant. Benign tumours are not cancerous.

According to Dr Vorachai, two main factors may influence the development of colon cancer. One of the most crucial causes is a diet high in animal fat. Another determinant is family history. People who have a family history of colon cancer may face a higher risk.

Colon cancer is also closely linked to age. It is very common among people aged 50-60. But the disease can develop earlier in younger people whose family members have contracted cancer.

"Cancers are hereditary diseases. Make sure that your doctor knows if members of your family have experienced colon or rectal cancer. We will recommend such patients to have genetic testing in order to assess their level of risk and to check for a genetic mutation. At our hospital, we also offer genetic counselling, which would be helpful for other members of your family," the doctor said.

How is colon cancer diagnosed?

It's not easy for a doctor to detect or see colon polyps or tumours until they have developed enough to cause symptoms. During a routine screening like a colonoscopy, however, they can be identified and removed entirely or a sample of the abnormal growth can be taken. After that, a biopsy of tissue from the colon polyp will be tested in a laboratory in order to determine what exact type the polyp is.

"Colon polyps are very important because some may be present silently for many years, slowly growing day by day and eventually turn into colon cancer. They are usually removed in order to prevent the possible development of colon cancer," Dr. Vorachai said.

Signs and symptoms

According to the professor, one of the most important signs of colon cancer is a change in bowel movement habits. Constipation can signal many diseases, while chronic constipation can be serious. It usually occurs when a tumour is blocking the colon. Alternating constipation with diarrhoea can also sometimes signal colon cancer.

Apart from abnormal bowel movements, patients with colon cancer may exhibit the following symptoms:

- Bloody stool - In general, blood in the stool is invisible to the naked eye. If it becomes obvious, make sure you tell your doctor. However, don't jump to conclusions. Some foods, like watermelon, beetroot and carrots, can turn the stool red.

Make sure that your doctor knows if members of your family have experienced colon or rectal cancer. -

- Thin stool - The size of the stool can indicate if there is something wrong with the large intestine. A thinner stool than usual can be a sign that a polyp or tumour may be blocking the passage of the stool.

- Abdominal pain - Advanced colon cancer may lead to severe abdominal pain. This usually occurs when the colon is blocked by a tumour.

- Weight loss - Some patients with colon cancer may not feel hungry and begin to lose weight.

Stages of colon cancer development

The development of colon cancers can be sorted into five stages (0-4).

The stages help describe the scope and the severity of the cancer, so doctors can provide the most effective treatment.

- Stage 0 - This is the earliest stage of disease. At this stage, the cancer still is contained in the lining of the colon. It hasn't spread and is not classified as a malignant polyp.

- Stage 1 - When the cancer invades the surface of the colon, it is considered to have reached Stage 1.

- Stage 2 - At this stage, the cancer is eating into the wall of the colon.

- Stage 3 - If the cancer starts to spread to the lymph nodes, it has reached Stage 3.

- Stage 4 - This is the most advanced colon cancer stage. The cancer has spread to other parts of the body, often to the liver and lungs.

Treatment

There are three main treatment options for colon cancers, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

Surgery

If a biopsy indicates that a polyp or tumour is cancerous, surgery will be performed to remove the malignant tissue growth.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill the tumour or slow the growth of cancer cells. It can be applied to patients diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer, but is not recommended for those with Stage 0 or Stage 1 colon cancer.

To control any cancer cells that may have spread beyond the tumour, "adjuvant" chemotherapy will be given in addition to surgery.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is not commonly used for colon cancer treatment. It's sometimes given after surgery to keep the cancer from returning.

-- Bangkok Post 01-10-2009

Ref. url:- http://bangkokpost.com/life/family/24857/colon-cancer

If you go to the url, there is a good illustration of the Colon and it shows the various " Signs and symptoms " referred to above

marshbags

Edited October 1, 2009 by marshbags

[samuibeachcomber]

a good post,something to remember, i hope you are not a victim marshbags.

[ignoramus]

I probably won't find this thread again, so there's probably not much point in responding...I'm just curious about exactly what animal fats the Thais overdose on. Butter? Bacon? Pork fat? I really haven't the faintest idea. Never saw a Thai eat butter or bacon or pork fat...maybe I wasn't looking. I understand they consume palm oil which is a major no-no (heart-wise), but it's not animal-derived. Herediity is very relevant, but even so I'm left wondering. In Australia people can get themselves checked but it doesn't involve much more than checking blood in the stool, initially anyway. I'd have thought that we eat much more animal fats than do the Thais.

[Mossfinn]

I probably won't find this thread again,

A very quick way, as long as you don't over dose in threads is to look in the 'My Assistant' Icon, it relates your last 10 posts, I use it a lot to apologise for the previous nights rants