Professor Post
Health 1
7 February 2016
Colon Cancer Colorectal cancer is the number 2 leading cause of death from cancer in the United States. It is the 3rd most common type of cancer. Colorectal cancer most often occurs after 50 years of age. After age 75 the occurance greatly increases. Colorectal Cancer is a cancer that occurs in the colon or rectum. The large intestine is called the colon. The colon connects to the rectum as a passageway to the anus.
There are risk factors that increase your chance of getting colorectal cancer. Most cases of colorectal cancer occur in people 50 years old or older. Having a family history increases your risk of getting colorectal cancer. There are other things that increase your chances like, ulcerative colitis, personal history of cancer or a history of polyps. …show more content…
Carcinogens cause colorectal cancer. Fat has a lot of carcinogens. “Fat is strongly suspected to be a promoter of colon carcinogens.” (Adrouny 6)
There are many warning signs of colorectal cancer. A change in bowel habits such as blood in the stool, diarrhea, constipation and stools that are narrower than usual. Other warning signs are weight loss, feeling tired, and vomiting. If you have any of these warning signs you should see a doctor.
There are many ways to test for colon cancer. A stool test is a way to test for colon cancer and this technique check for blood in your stool. Polyps can cause bleeding that can’t be seen by the naked eye and can cause blood in your stool. Another way to test for colon cancer is a sigmoidoscopy. A sigmoidoscopy views the lower part of your colon. This test can miss some cancers since it only views the lower part of the colon. A sigmoidoscopy and a stool test are usually done together. A colonoscopy is another way to check for colon cancer. A colonoscopy is similar to a sigmoidoscopy but, the entire colon is checked in the