Colon cancer is a disease that up until a few years ago was rarely discussed in public circles but it is in fact the third leading cause of cancer death in males and the fourth in women. Recently there has been a push to get more information out to the public about the prevention, symptoms and treatments for the disease.

In its’ early stages colon cancer, which is also sometimes known as colorectal cancer as the colon and the rectum are often both affected, may cause no definitive or easily recognizable symptoms. As the disease progresses abdominal pain, intestinal obstruction and sudden weight loss mat all be signs that colon cancer is present.

There are those who may be genetically predisposed to the disease, but as the incidence of colon cancer is far higher in the Western world than it is in Africa or Asia many researchers believe that the high fat diets that many people in Western countries usually eat is also a large part of the problem, and that following a low fat, high fiber diet may go a long way towards preventing the disease, even in those whose family members have been diagnosed with colon cancer in the past. A history of ulcerative colitis may also increase a person’s risk for developing colon cancer.

It is possible to detect colon cancer in its very early stages, before symptoms ever manifest themselves in fact. The most definitive test for colon cancer is the colonoscopy, a relatively simple outpatient procedure that affords doctors a view of the entire colon, something that is not possible with any other imaging technique. When caught early colon cancer is highly responsive to treatment in most cases, so regular screening is essential. Current guidelines suggest that both males and females over the age of 50 undergo a colonoscopy at least once every ten years.

Most doctors agree that colon cancer begins in colon polyps, which are commonly found as a result of damage to colon walls over time. These are usually harmless and benign when they first form, but have a great potential to become cancerous. If a colonoscopy detects such polyps doctors usually remove them immediately, to reduce a patient’s risk for colon cancer. They may also suggest an increase in screening frequency for these patients, often every 3-5 years.

Surgery is the usual course of treatment for those diagnosed with colon cancer. The surgeon removes the cancerous tumor and sometimes the adjacent lymph nodes then reconnects the healthy portions of the colon so that bowel function is unaffected. In patients diagnosed in the early stages of the disease surgery is often the only course of treatment that is required, and the average survival rate is good, averaging 80%.