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what is colon cancer? (Google, Loose Matching)
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 According to experts, the idea that personality traits can increase cancer risk goes back to ancient Greek times. A few poorly designed studies in the 1960s and 70s suggested there might be a personality-cancer connection. These early, and now discredited, studies led to an "industry" of sorts that promoted the importance of "optimism and a fighting spirit" for better cancer survival.While this approach may be encouraging to some, others with cancer find it overwhelming. If you think that not "having the right attitude" can decrease your odds of survival, that's a big burden to carry! And thankfully, it's not necessary.Cope Any Way You Need ToThe recent study on personality and cancer offers reassurance that you don't need to "have the fighting spirit" to survive cancer. The study followed more than 60,000 cancer survivors for up to 30 years each. The bottom line?Personality had no connection with either cancer risk, or risk of dying after cancer diagnosis.If you've been struggling to come to terms with fear, anger, anxiety, and other feelings that a cancer diagnosis can bring, let yourself work through these feelings any way you need to. You don't need to be chipper and upbeat all the time. You need to find out the best way to cope for you.Talk to your health care team about emotional support services. They can refer you to social workers, counselors, art and music therapists, support groups, informational sessions, and other resources for coping. You can talk to the religious leader at your place of worship or go online for support. Your family and friends can help you cope with a cancer diagnosis too.But just know that however you cope, your personality is fine the way it is. You don't need to worry that you need the "right attitude" for long and healthy cancer survivorship.Comments (0)PermalinkShareSee More Blog EntriesFree Colon Cancer Newsletter!Sign UpExplore Colon CancerMust ReadsWhat Is Colon Cancer?Symptoms of Colon CancerColon Cancer DiagnosisTreatment of Colon CancerPreventing Colon CancerMost Popularcolon cancer symptomsAdvice: Blood in My Stoolblood in stoolsStage 4 Colon CancerColon Cancer Survival RatesFree Colon Cancer Newsletter!Sign UpBy CategoryBasicsWho Gets Colon Cancer?Screening/TestsPrevention and RecurrenceTreatment OptionsNutrition and DietPersonal StoriesSupport/ResourcesMyths and FactsResearchGlossaryAbout.com Special FeaturesSalmonella SymptomsWondering if that tummy upset is actually Salmonella poisoning? Learn to spot the warning signs. MoreSpotlight on Health: SchizophreniaLearn more about schizophrenia, a chronic (and surprisingly common) mental illness that's easily misunderstood. MoreWe comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.Colon CancerHomeHealthColon CancerMost PopularLatest ArticlesAdd to: iGoogleMy Yahoo!RSSAlso from About.com:Calorie Count PlusUCompareHealthCare - Colon CancerAdvertising InfoNews & EventsWork at AboutSiteMapAll TopicsReprintsHelpUser AgreementEthics PolicyPatent Info.Privacy PolicyOur StoryWrite for About©2010 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.All rights reserved.



 !--[if IE]>![endif]--> style>#usrp a { background: url("http://0.tqn.com/i/t1/tab-bg.png") repeat-x bottom left; background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, from(#FFF), to(#E3E2DD), color-stop(0.5, #FFF)); background: -moz-linear-gradient(-90deg, #FFF 50%, #E3E2DD); } HomeHealthColon CancerColon CancerSearchColon CancerSymptoms/DiagnosisTreatmentDaily LifeShareFree Colon Cancer Newsletter!Sign UpDiscuss in my ForumWhat Are Colon Cancer Symptoms?Colon Cancer Symptoms are Scary but You Can Learn What to Do if You Have ThemBy Suzanne Dixon, MPH, RD, About.com GuideUpdated August 13, 2009About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board See More About:blood in stoolconstipationchronic diarrheafecal occult blood testImage of the gastrointestinal tract.A.D.A.M.Getting a Handle on Colon Cancer SymptomsColon cancer symptoms aren't always obvious, but you can learn what these symptoms look and feel like. Understanding colon cancer symptoms is important, because you can use this knowledge to work with your doctor to find out the cause and take care of your long-term health. What is the Colon?In order to understand what colon cancer symptoms might feel like, it helps to learn a bit about the colon. The colon is an important part of the digestive system, and as such, it has a major role in helping the body absorb nutrients, minerals, and water. The colon also helps rid the body of waste in the form of stool. The colon makes up the majority of the large intestine, approximately six feet in length. The last six inches or so of the large intestine are the rectum and the anal canal.What are the Symptoms of Colon Cancer?Colon cancer can have many symptoms. However, in the early stages, people with colon cancer often have no symptoms at all. This is why regular screening beginning at 50 is an important investment in your healthy future.Colon cancer symptoms come in two general varieties:Local SystemicLocal Colon Cancer SymptomsLocal colon cancer symptoms affect your bathroom habits and the colon itself. Some of the more common local symptoms of colon cancer include:Changes in your bowel habits, such as bowel movements that are either more or less frequent than normal Constipation (difficulty having a bowel movement or straining to have a bowel movement) Diarrhea (loose or watery stools) Intermittent (alternating) constipation and diarrhea Bright red or dark red blood in your stools or black, dark colored, "tarry" stools Stools that are thinner than normal ("pencil stools") or feeling as if you cannot empty your bowels completely Abdominal (midsection) discomfort, bloating, frequent gas pains, or crampsIf you experience any of these for two or more weeks, call your doctor right away to discuss your concerns and arrange for tests to get to the bottom of your symptoms.Systemic Colon Cancer SymptomsSystemic colon cancer symptoms are those that affect your whole body, such as weight loss, and include:Unintentional weight loss (losing weight when not dieting or trying to lose weight) Loss of appetite Unexplained fatigue (extreme tiredness) Nausea or vomiting Anemia (low red blood cell count or low iron in your red blood cells) Jaundice (yellow color to the skin and whites of the eyes)If you experience any of these for any length of time, even a few days, call your doctor right away to discuss your concerns and arrange for tests to get to the bottom of your symptoms. What Should I Do if I Have Colon Cancer Symptoms?Call your doctor so he or she can set up an appointment to see you. During the appointment your doctor will take a medical history, collect blood samples for testing, and schedule you for follow-up tests, if needed.Many people are afraid of colon cancer screening. They worry that it will hurt and that it is embarrassing. Your doctor and nurse have performed hundreds, and in some cases even thousands, of these procedures. There is nothing to be embarrassed about and remember: Even your doctor and nurse undergo these same tests to take care of their own health.Preparing for Colon Cancer TestsIf you are worried about preparing for your colon cancer tests, ask your doctor about how best to get ready for any procedures. There are different medications for clearing your colon of stool to ensure a good screening. There is no reason to suffer in silence!Diagnosis of Colon Cancer and How Not to Dread Colon Cancer Screening provide detailed information on screening procedures, plus tips on how to make preparing for these tests easier.SourcesThe American Cancer Society: Learn about Colon and Rectum Cancer. Accessed: January 20, 2009.
 

 Home All Topics Forum About Us Editorial Team Health Centers Blog Contact Us Colon CancerWhat Is Colon Cancer?What Is Colon Cancer?Colon cancer is a common type of malignancy (cancer) in which there is uncontrolled growth of the cells that line the inside of the colon or rectum. Colon cancer is also called colorectal cancer. The colon, also known as the large intestine, is the last part of the digestive tract.The rectum is the very end of the large intestine that opens at the anus.Understanding CancerThe body is made up of different types of cells that normally divide and multiply in an orderly way. These new cells replace older cells. This process of cell birth and renewal occurs constantly in the body. Cancer or malignant growths occur when:Some cells in the body begin to multiply in an uncontrolled manner. The body's natural defenses, such as certain parts of the immune system, cannot stop uncontrolled cell division.These abnormal cells become greater and greater in number. In some types of cancer, including colon cancer, the uncontrolled cell growth forms a mass, also called a tumor. Some tumors are benign, which means that they are not cancerous. Cancerous or malignant tumors grow out of control and can invade, replace, and destroy normal cells near the tumor. In some cases, cancer cells spread to other areas of the body. There are two kinds of growths that occur in the colon: noncancerous growths, such as polyps.Malignant or cancerous growths. Colon cancer usually begins with the growth of benign growths such as polyps. Most types of colorectal cancer are adenocarcinomas. This means that the cancer cells are formed from abnormal gland cells that line the inner surface of an organ. The prefix "adeno" means "gland." In colorectal cancer, the abnormal growth begins to form in the inner lining of the large bowel. Nice To Know: Other forms of color cancer may occur, but are not nearly as common as adenocarcinomas.Tumors that begin in connective tissue, such as sarcomasTumors that begin in the lymphatic system, such lymphomasRare cancers such as carcinoids and gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
 



 That analysis comes from researchers at the University of Minnesota, who culled data from the Iowa Women’s Health Study on 1,096 cases of colon cancer diagnosed between 1986 and 2005. Of the 489 women who died, 289 of them died from colon cancer.
 



 Get Living Alerts Email Comments 2 Cancer!If you haven't had it, the prospect terrifies you. If you have had it, it can unnerve and shatter you. Yet the dreaded disease may have an unexpected effect. It can ultimately change your life for the better. Indeed, in some ways, it was the best thing that's ever happened to me.



 Suggested Reading by Our Doctorsbevacizumab-injection, Avastin - Consumer information about the medication BEVACIZUMAB - INJECTION (Avastin), includes side effects, drug interactions, recommended dosages, and storage information. Read more about the prescription drug BEVACIZUMAB - INJECTION.Hemoglobin - Read about hemoglobin - the protein molecule in red blood cells. Learn what normal, low, and high level hemoglobin counts mean on MedicineNet.comAbdominal Pain - Learn about abdominal pain (pain in the stomach / abdomen) including causes, symptoms, how abdominal pain is diagnosed, and how abdominal pain is treated.Read more Colon Cancer related articles »Latest Medical NewsHealth, Money Woes May Boost Bowel Cancer Deaths in BlacksDeadly Cancer Risk Linked to Cell AgeCould Hot Weather Affect Results of a Colorectal Cancer Test?CDC: More Cancer Screenings Needed to Save LivesPrivacy PolicyCancerGet the latest treatment options.
 



 Diseases and ConditionsSymptomsDrugs and SupplementsTests and ProceduresHealthy LifestyleFirst AidHomeDiseases and ConditionsColon cancerBasicsDefinitionColon cancerBasicsIn-DepthMultimediaExpert AnswersExpert BlogResourcesWhat's NewDefinitionSymptomsCausesRisk factorsPreparing for your appointmentTests and diagnosisTreatments and drugsAlternative medicineCoping and supportPreventionMayo Clinic Health ManagerGet free personalized health guidance for you and your family.Get Started FreeE-NewslettersSubscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. About our newslettersHousecallAlzheimer's caregivingLiving with cancer close window About our e-newslettersFree e-newslettersMayo Clinic expertiseWe do not share your e-mail addressHousecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
 



 Definition of colon cancer: Cancer that forms in the tissues of the colon (the longest part of the large intestine). Most colon cancers are adenocarcinomas (cancers that begin in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids).



 The colon is the longest part of the large intestine and the lowest part of the digestive system. Inside the colon, water and salt from solid wastes are extracted before the waste moves through the rectum and exits the body through the anus. What is colon cancer? Cancer is a class of diseases characterized by out-of-control cell growth, and colon cancer forms when this uncontrolled cell growth initiates with cells in the large intestine. Most colon cancers originate from small, noncancerous (benign) tumors called adenomatous polyps that form on the inner walls of the large intestine. Some of these polyps may grow into malignant colon cancers over time if they are not removed during colonoscopy. Colon cancer cells will invade and damage healthy tissue that is near the tumor causing many complications.
 



 Skip navigationAmerican Cancer Society - The Official Sponsor of Birthdays.™EspañolAsian Language Materials1-800-227-2345DONATE »American Cancer Society :: Information and Resources for Cancer: Breast, Colon, Prostate, Lung and Other Forms Learn About Cancer Cancer List ViewStay Healthy Find Support & Treatment Explore Research Get Involved In Your Area Set Your AreaCloseStart of contentLearn About Cancer Find information and resources for a specific cancer topic SAVE » SHARE » Share this PageClose Email ThisTo: (Email address) From: (Email address) Message: Add ThisFacebookTwitterMySpaceDeliciousSee All »PRINT » Saved this ArticleCloseMy Saved Articles » My ACS » Colon/Rectum Cancer Overview Guide What Is Colon/Rectum Cancer?Colorectal Cancer Overview + -Text Size DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE» What Is Colon/Rectum Cancer? TOPICS What is cancer?What is colorectal cancer?How many people get colorectal cancer? GO » SEE A LIST » What is cancer?What is colorectal cancer?How many people get colorectal cancer?Previous TopicWhat is cancer?Next TopicHow many people get colorectal cancer?What is colorectal cancer?Colorectal cancer is cancer that starts in either the colon or the rectum. Colon cancer and rectal cancer have many features in common. They are discussed together here except for the section about treatment, where they are discussed separately. The normal digestive systemColon and rectal cancers begin in the digestive system, also called the GI (gastrointestinal) system (see the picture below). The digestive system processes food for energy and the last part of it absorbs fluid to form solid waste (stool) that then passes from the body. In order to understand colorectal cancer, it helps to know something about the structure of the digestive system and how it works.After food is chewed and swallowed, it travels to the stomach. There it is partly broken down and sent to the small intestine. The word "small" refers to the width of the small intestine. In fact, the small intestine is the longest part of the digestive system -- about 20 feet.The small intestine also breaks down the food and absorbs most of the nutrients. It leads to the large intestine (also called the large bowel or colon), a muscular tube about 5 feet long. The colon absorbs water and nutrients from the food and also serves as a storage place for waste matter. The waste matter (stool) moves from the colon into the rectum, the last 6 inches of the digestive system. From there the waste passes out of the body through the opening called the anus.The wall of the colon and rectum is made up of layers of tissues. Colorectal cancer starts in the inner layer and can grow through some or all of the other layers. The stage (extent of spread) of a cancer depends to a great degree on how deep the cancer goes into these layers.Abnormal growths in the colon or rectumCancer that starts in these different areas may cause different symptoms. But colon cancer and rectal cancer have many things in common. In most cases, colorectal cancers develop slowly over many years. We now know that most of these cancers start as a polyp -- a growth of tissue that starts in the lining and grows into the center of the colon or rectum. This tissue may or may not be cancer. A type of polyp known as an adenoma can become cancer. Removing a polyp early may keep it from becoming cancer.Over 95% of colon and rectal cancers are adenocarcinomas. These are cancers that start in the cells that line the inside of the colon and rectum. There are some other, more rare, types of tumors of the colon and rectum, but the facts given here refer only to adenocarcinomas.
 
 

Quote from: babrevian on September 14, 2010, 09:53:31 PM

I already tried contacting him 3 times (via this forum, by opening a ticket and PM him), but was unable to reach him. I tried setting the country to UK, and then the program returned much better results. Choosing US or default gives no more than 10.

It appears as if there is some sort of bug around.

Can you confirm please whether you put JUST the keywords "colon cancer", for example and NOT the whole question, "what is colon cancer" into the keyword box?

what is colon cancer?
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 Colon Cancer GuideSign up for my NewsletterMy BioMy BlogMy ForumBrowse TopicBasicsWho Gets Colon Cancer?Screening/TestsPrevention and RecurrenceTreatment OptionsNutrition and DietPersonal StoriesSupport/ResourcesMyths and FactsResearchGlossaryCoping with Colon CancerGet the Resources You NeedA colon cancer diagnosis can leave you scared and confused. The right support will help you move forward to get the care you need.Read moreFinding Resources 101Find the Best Colon Cancer WebsitesGet Online Support for Colon CancerWhere to Go for Info on Family & Genetic Cancer SyndromesAbout.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board Is Colon Cleansing Safe?If you've been living on junk food, as many people do these days, a colon cleanse might sound like a good way to make up for dietary sins. But be sure to read the fine print before you sign up for this unproven and potentially harmful procedure.Read moreHow You Can Safely Colon CleanseSafe Colon CleansingWeight & Colon Cancer: Connection?Healthy Ways to Lower Cancer RiskColon Cancer Spotlight10Colon Cancer Blog with Suzanne Dixon, MPH, RDAdd to: iGoogleMy Yahoo!RSSAmerica's Doctor Mehmet Oz Shares Personal Colon Cancer StoryTuesday September 14, 2010Dr. Mehmet Oz, the doctor that Oprah Winfrey launched into fame on her show, is now sharing his own cancer story. He hopes his story can help save lives. From my perspective, what is so wonderful about the story is how it illustrates the benefits of regular colon cancer screening.Dr. Oz: "Those were some of my most arrogant moments"Dr. Oz turned 50 and dutifully, though not willingly, signed up for his first colon cancer screening. Health experts recommend that most Americans begin screening for colon cancer at age 50. Those at higher than average risk of colon cancer, such as people with a family history or known genetic predisposition to the disease, may need to be screened beginning at younger ages.Dr. Oz said he wanted to put off the screening. He's a busy man and a 24-hour bowel cleansing and sedation for the procedure would be disruptive to his life. Yet Dr. Oz concedes that after the fact, he realized, "There can be no greater oblivion in a person's life than when self importance clouds your sense of mortality."Dr. Oz: "I would have put if off months, perhaps years"In his story, Dr. Oz describes that if it weren't for the fact that he'd decided to do a show on colonoscopy, he would have put his own screening off for "months, perhaps years." As someone with no risk factors - he has a healthy diet, he's not overweight, he doesn't drink or smoke, and he doesn't have a family history of colon cancer - he felt that he didn't really need to worry about colon cancer.Imagine Dr. Oz's surprise when the colon cancer screening uncovered an adenomatous polyp, the type of growth that develops into colon cancer. As a doctor, Mehmet Oz knew that without that colonoscopy, that growth wouldn't have been discovered and removed, and he may have developed advanced colon cancer.Wake Up CallThis story illustrates one of the most important points about colon cancer: Everyone is at risk. Anyone can be diagnosed with this disease. And one of the most important ways to reduce your risk of becoming a colon cancer statistic is to get screened.Ask your doctor when you need to begin your regular colon cancer screening. For many people, this will be age 50. For others, family history or other factors may mean earlier screening is a smart move.Comments (0)PermalinkShareEver Wonder About Avemar Supplement? You're Not AloneMonday September 13, 2010I've been asked about a dietary supplement called Avemar on numerous occasions. The main ingredient in Avemar is a fermented wheat germ extract, so it's a food-based supplement. As with all dietary supplements, you should never take these products without first discussing it with your medical team. Avemar has a good record of safety, but it may not be right for everyone.If you'd like to learn a bit more about Avemar, you can read some information I provided on the topic as a guest expert for the American Institute for Cancer Research Cancer online chat program.Comments (0)PermalinkShareSmoking and Colon Cancer - Beyond the LungsTuesday September 7, 2010Everyone knows that smoking is bad for the lungs. People who smoke have over 10 times the risk of lung cancer compared to never-smokers. This figure is so attention-grabbing that many people forget that smoking can increase risk of other cancers too.A large meta-analysis, which is a type of study that combines results from many smaller studies, looked at the connection between smoking and colon cancer. The results are persuasive, to say the least.Current smokers had more than twice the risk of being diagnosed with an adenoma compared with never-smokers. An adenoma is a growth in the colon that can develop into colon cancer if not found and removed through tests such as a colonoscopy. Also of interest: The risk was strongest for "high-risk" adenomas - the type of growths that are most likely to go on to become cancer.Never Too Late to QuitWhen people quit smoking, their risk of cancer, heart disease, and stroke begin to drop measurably. In some cases disease risks drop within hours of quitting!No matter how long you've used tobacco, you can improve your health by quitting. Learn more about how you can free yourself from smoking for good.Comments (0)PermalinkShareGo Dark at Night for Lower Cancer RiskFriday September 3, 2010I don't usually report on animal studies, because what happens in a lab animal often does not translate into what happens in humans. But every now and then, results from an animal study on cancer are worth sharing.An animal study may validate what we've observed in humans. Or it may give us better information about biological reasons why there's a relationship between lifestyle factors and cancer risk. Just such a study recently hit the news.Too Much Bright Light Not a Bright IdeaCancer experts have noted that people living in brightly-lit urban areas have higher rates of certain cancers. Using mice to probe the cancer-light connection, researchers have further clarified how light at night, called LAN, can increase cancer risk.For the study, a group of mice were injected with cancer cells and selected to be in one of four groups:Group 1: Mice exposed to "short days" of 8 hours of light and 16 hours of darkness.Group 2: Mice exposed to "long days" of 16 hours of light and 8 hours of darkness. This is similar to what humans do when they are exposed to artificial light beyond the natural number of light hours in a day.Group 3: Mice exposed to 16 hour "long days" and 8 dark hours, but also treated with melatonin.Group 4: Mice exposed to 8 hour "short days" and also exposed to one short, 30 minute interval of light during the 16 hours of darkness.More Light = Less Melatonin = More CancerThe results showed a clear connection, similar to what we observe in humans, between light at night (LAN) and cancer growth. Groups 1 and 3 - mice exposed to longer periods of darkness or mice exposed to more light but treated with melatonin - had the smallest tumors.Group 4 - mice exposed to more darkness, but with a 30 minute bright period - had medium sized tumors. Group 2, the "long day" mice, had the largest tumors by far.Comparing the long-day exposed mice, researchers found that not only were tumors smaller in mice receiving melatonin, but those melatonin-treated mice also lived longer.Of Mice and MenThe suppression of melatonin production in the body due to LAN may be a very important risk factor for cancer. The researchers noted, "Exposure to LAN disrupts our biological clock...the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has already classified working the night shift as a higher grade of cancer risk."People who work the night shift do have higher cancer rates and exposure to artificial light at night may be part of why this happens.Melatonin and Gut HealthThis research has important implications for colon cancer risk. Over three decades ago, researchers noted that the gastrointestinal tract has high melatonin concentrations. Further, animal studies show that melatonin can decrease colon cancer risk. And on a cell level, studies note that melatonin encourages colon cancer cell death.Going DarkSo what should you do if you live in a brightly lit urban area or work the night shift? One simple solution is to get eye shades. For just a few dollars, you can get soft, non-irritating eye shades from a drugstore that completely block out every trace of light from your eyes. This promotes better sleep and should help your body produce melatonin in response to darkness.Eye shades are better than "black out" window shades. Even the thickest shades allow dim light to get into the room. Plus, light from other sources, such as a cell phone on your bedside table or an alarm clock, also is blocked out. This is why eye shades also are a must for regular, night-time sleepers.Sleeping SoundlyAnother thing you can do for yourself is to commit to a regular sleep routine. Far too many of us skimp on sleep, and this can have profound, negative health consequences. Health experts note that in addition to increased cancer risk, lack of sleep, which by default means exposure to light at night, increases the risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and stroke. Besides that, missing our zzz's compromises brain function and makes us crabby to boot.More Tips to Beat InsomniaComments (0)PermalinkShareSee More Blog EntriesFree Colon Cancer Newsletter!Sign UpExplore Colon CancerMust ReadsWhat Is Colon Cancer?Symptoms of Colon CancerColon Cancer DiagnosisTreatment of Colon CancerPreventing Colon CancerMost Popularcolon cancer symptomsAdvice: Blood in My Stoolblood in stoolsStage 4 Colon CancerColon Cancer Survival RatesFree Colon Cancer Newsletter!Sign UpBy CategoryBasicsWho Gets Colon Cancer?Screening/TestsPrevention and RecurrenceTreatment OptionsNutrition and DietPersonal StoriesSupport/ResourcesMyths and FactsResearchGlossaryAbout.com Special FeaturesSalmonella SymptomsWondering if that tummy upset is actually Salmonella poisoning? Learn to spot the warning signs. MoreSpotlight on Health: SchizophreniaLearn more about schizophrenia, a chronic (and surprisingly common) mental illness that's easily misunderstood. MoreWe comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.Colon CancerHomeHealthColon CancerMost PopularLatest ArticlesAdd to: iGoogleMy Yahoo!RSSAlso from About.com:Calorie Count PlusUCompareHealthCare - Colon CancerAdvertising InfoNews & EventsWork at AboutSiteMapAll TopicsReprintsHelpUser AgreementEthics PolicyPatent Info.Privacy PolicyOur StoryWrite for About©2010 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.All rights reserved.

 


 The colon is the longest part of the large intestine and the lowest part of the digestive system. Inside the colon, water and salt from solid wastes are extracted before the waste moves through the rectum and exits the body through the anus. What is colon cancer? Cancer is a class of diseases characterized by out-of-control cell growth, and colon cancer forms when this uncontrolled cell growth initiates with cells in the large intestine. Most colon cancers originate from small, noncancerous (benign) tumors called adenomatous polyps that form on the inner walls of the large intestine. Some of these polyps may grow into malignant colon cancers over time if they are not removed during colonoscopy. Colon cancer cells will invade and damage healthy tissue that is near the tumor causing many complications.

After malignant tumors form, the cancerous cells may travel through the blood and lymph systems, spreading to other parts of the body. These cancer cells can grow in several places, invading and destroying other healthy tissues throughout the body. This process itself is called metastasis, and the result is a more serious condition that is very difficult to treat.


 



 Colon cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. Because cancer can occur in both the colon and rectum, cancer statistics usually group colon and rectal cancer together. Thus, this type of cancer is more accurately referred to as colorectal cancer although we will refer to it as colon cancer for simplicity sake.

In the developed world, three percent to five percent of the population will eventually be diagnosed with colon cancer. In the United States alone, the disease accounts for a full 14 percent of all deaths from cancer, making it the second most common cause of cancer death.


 



 on Twitter Recent Tweets (Posted Daily)The largest animal that ever lived is also currently living -- the blue whale. The world consumes 2 quarts (approx. 2 liters) of oil per person per day. If Earth was the size of a basketball, the moon would be the size of a tennis ball and they'd be 25 feet apart. For every 100 girls born in China, 119 boys are born. Of all the people in history that have reached 65 years of age, half of them are living right now. If Earth's life was compressed into one year, then humans would have been around for only 2 seconds. The Middle East's population almost tripled over the last 30 years.

 

It is my OPINION (not my knowledge) that by entering the question "What is colon cancer" that you are restraining the program from finding all the questions that it could find for you. I BELIEVE that the program takes the keywords you enter and finds prefixes and suffixes for those. If you make the keywords longer, such "what is X", then there will be fewer questions to find because the search will be trying to find such items as "Can you tell me what is colon cancer" and "what is colon cancer for real", etc.

If you just put the KEY words, "colon cancer" or whatever your search term is, in the box, I think you will find a lot more results, including those such as "What is colon cancer" but also such questions as "What does colon cancer do to you", which woud NOT be found by entering the full question, "What is colon cancer".
Hope this makes sense. If I am wrong in my belief about how the program operates, I am happy to be corrected (and learn something new) 

colon cancer (Google)
Primary Answers

 How do most colon cancers start?

Most colon cancers start as small growths in the colon or rectum. These growths are called polyps, which can bleed into the colon or rectum. Over time, some polyps turn into cancer.

 


 Those living in District Health Authorites where the program has been initiated will receive their screening tests in the mail based on their date of birth and every two years following that date. Cancer Care Nova Scotia is working to expand the Program to the remaining District Health Authorities by 2011.In the meantime, if you have concerns about colon cancer and would like to get a screening test, talk with your family doctor about what kind of screening is best for you.How often are screening tests being mailed?

To help ensure a smooth flow of participants into the Program, kits are being mailed weekly based on a person’s birth week and year. The Colon Cancer Prevention Program will keep track of who has been mailed a screening test to guarantee that everyone aged 50 – 74 within a District Health Authority is invited to participate in screening over a two year period.Once the first cycle of invitations and screening kit mailings is completed, the Program will invite people to repeat their screening test every two years.