Once the black, tar-like stools, bloody bowel movements and severe bowel obstructions occur, it may already be too late. The appearance of colon cancer symptoms usually do not occur until patients are well into Stage III or Stage IV cancer. Then, their only options are to undergo risky surgery and take chemotherapy drugs. However, if discovered during Stages 0 - II, doctors can usually remove the cancer through a colonoscope or a minimally invasive surgical procedure. Since the tests are uncomfortable, many Americans fail to take the proper precautions to protect themselves from this deadly, yet preventable, cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, the leading causes of colon cancer include colon polyps, cancer elsewhere in the body, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, a history of breast cancer or a family history of colon cancer. Researchers at the Howard Hughes Medical Center and John Hopkins Medical Center have identified a genetic link for colon cancer, which is a defect in glycosylation enzymes. Other contributing factors include a poor diet (high-fat, low-fiber, red meat-filled diets) and smoking cigarettes. Also, 90% of those who have colon cancer are over 50, which is when screening should begin.
Screening of colon cancer symptoms can be done even when individuals feel fine. In fact, it is recommended for anyone over the age of 50. Patients will usually be given a fecal occult blood test, a sigmoidoscopy and/or a colonoscopy to look for polyps, which are abnormal cell growths that may eventually develop into cancerous tumors. If the doctor identifies colon cancer of some form, then more testing will be done to determine the extent of the cancer. For instance, Stage 0 is cancer on the innermost layer of the large intestine. Later, if left unchecked, the cancer can spread to the middle layers (stage I), through the muscle wall (stage II), into the lymph nodes (stage III) and to other organs (stage IV).
Over the past 15 years, increased awareness of colon cancer symptoms and screenings has led to a significant improvement in five-year-survival-rates. Most Americans realize that once they turn 50 they should begin colonoscopy screening, even if they have had no symptoms at all. Despite the progress, there are still over 49,000 colon cancer deaths each year and a whopping 50% of individuals who are over 50 admit that they have never had a colonoscopy. Currently, new tests are being developed that are less invasive and may increase the likelihood of early screenings.
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