One of the most common types of cancer afflicting Americans today is
colorectal cancer. About 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed with
cancer of the colon and rectum cancer this year. The disease affects
men and women equally.
Often there are no signs of colorectal cancer, but symptoms can include
change in bowel movements, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, unexplained
weight loss and fatigue. Risk factors for the disease include family
history of colorectal cancer, a history of polyps in the colon,
ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.
The American Cancer Society recommends both men and women over age 50
be screened for colorectal cancer. If you have a family history of the
disease, ask your doctor about earlier screening.
Screening tests for colorectal cancer include a fecal occult blood
test, a sigmoidoscopy, a barium enema and a colonoscopy. These tests
help doctors look inside your colon and rectum for any signs of cancer.
If doctors see something unusual, they may remove some tissue and
examine it under a microscope.
If you are diagnosed with colorectal cancer it's important to talk
about your options with several doctors, including a radiation
oncologist, a surgical oncologist and a medical oncologist, to find the
treatment that's best for you.
* Surgery is the main treatment for early-stage colorectal cancer. If
the disease has not spread, surgery alone may cure your cancer.
* Radiation therapy is the careful use of radiation to treat cancer.
Radiation therapy works within cancer cells by damaging their ability
to multiply. Radiation may be given before surgery to shrink a tumor to
make it easier to remove or after surgery to kill any cancer cells that
may remain. For rectal cancer, radiation is often used to help keep the
cancer from returning and allow the patient to avoid removing the anus
to preserve normal bowel function.
* Chemotherapy is medicine designed to help kill cancer cells. It may be given before or after surgery and often with radiation.
