Introduction To Colorectal CancerCancer comes as the harbinger of death in various different forms. One such form that is a major threat in the US is colorectal cancer. In it, a benign polyp or a number of them/first form(s) in the mucosal lining of the colon especially on left side of the distal part of the large intestine or in the rectum. The formation goes unnoticed for years together and during which no symptoms are found, unless you undergo colonoscopy. It has been found that ulcerative colitis is a precursor to colorectal cancer. Degenerative changes in the colon's mucosal lining or submucosa caused due to decades old chronic ulcerative colitis appear to cause cancerous changes in their cells. The polyps then gradually turn malignant. Even at this primary stage no symptoms are found in the patient based on which a diagnosis of colorectal cancer can be made. It is only when the cancerous cells begin to spread to secondary nodes and that too when the cancer is at an advanced stage that symptoms appear. The symptoms are tiredness and weight loss. Since these are quite vague, doctors find it difficult to make a definitive diagnosis. Changes in bowel habits appear gradually. These are more pronounced if the primary lymphoma is nearer to the anus. Bloody stools or those with mucus are observed. Even blood loss via the anus is a symptom that can appear. A feeling of incomplete bowel evacuation tends to persist in the colorectal cancer patient and the diameter of the stool is found to be much reduced. These two are the clinching symptoms of colorectal cancer. A visit to the doctor at this stage generally concludes with colonoscopy. The information obtained from biopsy thereafter of the malignant tumor is enough to diagnose colorectal cancer without any doubt. Unfortunately, colorectal cancer is mostly detected at a very late stage. However, even then, long term chemotherapy (drug administration) and surgery for malignant tumor can substantially boost the survival rate of a colorectal cancer patient. However, prevention is always better than care. Colorectal cancer can indeed be avoided in the first place largely through periodic screening tests conducted as early as when a person is in his/her teens. There are certain risk factors associated with colorectal cancers and people need to be made aware about them. One of the important risk factors is the genetic component involved in colorectal cancer. Another risk factor is smoking. Alcoholism also does play a role in accelerating the degenerative changes in ulcerative colitis patients leading to colorectal cancer in them. It seems colorectal cancer is more of an auto immune disorder. In it, the body's antibodies attack the body's cells incorrectly perceiving them to be foreign bodies. |