1. Know Your Risks
Researchers know several risk factors increase the chance of developing colon cancer. You can't change some of these risks, such as having a family history of colon cancer or getting older. However, people more susceptible to developing the disease can stop smoking and reduce the consumption of animal fat, both of which can cause colon cancer. In the future, researchers may pinpoint colon cancer risks with even more precision, and the Human Genome Project may reveal genetic changes that increase the risk of developing colon cancer.
2. On the Decline
Although colon cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States, its incidence has dropped by more than a quarter since the 1980s. This is due, in part, to the willingness of potential colon cancer patients to submit to something everyone over the age of 50 needs: a colonoscopy. Getting a colonoscopy is similar to going to the dentist. No one looks forward to it, but it's necessary because doctors can find and remove polyps in the colon before they turn into cancer.
3. Virtual Color Cancer Detection
Most people dread the invasive colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy, in which the doctor inserts a thin, lighted tube into the colon to check for abnormal growths. However, the virtual colonoscopy is an exciting new cancer-screening tool still in the developmental stage. Although this test requires patients to fast and take laxatives before the exam, the doctor takes pictures of the colon with the aid of CAT scan technology, rather than with a camera attached to a tube inserted in the rectum. The development of less-invasive screening procedures is helpful because many eligible adults resist unpleasant screening tests, and colon cancer is highly curable when found early.
4. It's Not Just Gas
Early colon cancer may cause few or no symptoms, which is why screening is important. However, when colon cancer patients begin to notice symptoms, it might seem more like a vague annoyance than a sign of cancer. Colon cancer can cause either diarrhea or constipation. Other colon cancer symptoms include feeling gassy or bloated. Although other problems can cause these symptoms, don't wait for abdominal pain; see a doctor to rule out cancer.
5. Nip Colon Cancer in the Bud
A vital part of colon cancer research focuses on prevention. The word chemotherapy has negative connotations for many people, but the new colon cancer buzzword is chemoprevention, referring to the use of drugs to stop precancerous polyps from turning into colon cancer. One drug still under investigation is Celebrex. This drug works at the cellular level to stop an enzyme reaction that may promote the development of colon cancer. Although this drug has some side effects that prevent it from becoming a standard treatment, the research may lead to further drugs to prevent colon cancer.
