What are the symptons for colon cancer, and what causes colon cancer?
And what is the treatment for Colon Polyp? I understand there is no surgery or medication required for colon polyp, what's the method used to remove colon polyp?? Is it painful?? Will appreciate if any oncologist or anyone who had experienced or has this knowledge, please kindly give your professional and vaulable advice. Thank you very much.
Cancer - 3 Answers
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1 :
Hi, This is generally a straight forward procedure. It involves you preparing a few days before hand by fasting and drinking a specific solution that will clear your bowels. This will then be followed by a colonoscopy being conducted whilst you are under a general anesthetic (usually for around 30min). The doctor will use a fibre optic camera to inspect the colon and if he discovers any polyps, they may be removed at the same time, if deemed to be small enough and sage to do so. If they are anticipated as being cancerous or larger than can be safely removed, through this procedure, then you may be referred to an oncologist and surgeon for a more involved procedure or other treatment as deemed necessary. For a more detailed explanation, you can check out the following site.
2 :
A polyp (but not cancer) is removed by colonoscopy which is not painfull, but can be unpleasent. The doctor introduce a tube through your anus until he can see the polyp and then remove it with some kind of scissors. You receive some mild sedation so you won't feel any pain. The symptoms of colon cancer are: A change in your bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation or a change in the consistency of your stool for more than a couple of weeks Small-caliber (narrow) stools or ribbon-like stools Rectal bleeding or blood in your stool Persistent abdominal discomfort, such as cramps, gas or pain Sensation of incomplete evacuation after a bowel movement Unexplained weight loss associated with fatigue and pale skin. More about that, on my blog: http://www.newcancerguide.com/colon-cancer-%e2%80%93-symptoms.html The cause is unknown, but there are some risk factors, polyps being one of the most important. I wrote an article about all the risk factors for colon cancer here: http://www.newcancerguide.com/colon-cancer-%e2%80%93-risk-factors.html
3 :
Colon polyps are fleshy growths that occur on the inside (the lining) of the large intestine, also known as the colon. Polyps in the colon are extremely common, and their incidence increases as individuals get older. It is estimated that 50% of the people over the age of 60 will harbor at least one polyp. The significance of polyps is that we know that when certain types of polyps grow large enough, they can become cancerous, and, moreover, colon cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in the United Sates. Therefore, screening for colon polyps and removing them before they become cancerous should markedly reduce the incidence of colon cancer. What types of polyps become cancerous? The polyps that become cancerous are called adenomatous polyps or adenomas. Adenomas account for approximately 75% of all colon polyps. There are several subtypes of adenoma that differ primarily in the way the cells of the polyp are assembled when they are examined under the microscope. Thus, there are tubular, villous, or tubulo-villous adenomas. Villous adenomas are the most likely to become cancerous, and tubular adenomas are the least likely. Are there other factors that determine a polyp's chance of becoming cancerous? Another factor that contributes to a polyp's likelihood of becoming cancerous is its size. The larger a polyp grows, the more likely it is to become cancerous. Once a polyp reaches two centimeters or approximately one inch in size, the risk of cancer is in excess of 20 percent. Therefore, it is advisable to remove polyps of any size, preferably when they are of a small size, to prevent their growth and progression to cancer. adenomatous polyps are detected with sigmoidoscopy, then a full colonoscopy with a longer tube (four to five feet) should be used to inspect the entire length of the colon. During a colonoscopy, any polyp can be removed and sent for an evaluation under the microscope to determine if it too is an adenomatous polyp. Many doctors in the US are recommending screening colonoscopies rather than flexible sigmoidoscopies for healthy subjects with an average risk for developing colon cancer. Colonoscopies are recommended beginning at the age of 50 and thereafter every 7-10 years if no colon polyps or cancers are found. The rationale for this recommendation is: 1) Colonoscopy examines the entire colon while flexible sigmoidoscopy only examines the rectum and the colon adjacent to the rectum, 2) approximately 50% of colon polyps (and colon cancers) are found in the upper colon (cecum, ascending colon, and transverse colon) and, therefore, are beyond the reach of sigmoidoscopes and would be missed by flexible sigmoidoscopy, and 3) the National Polyp Study, a large, scientific study, has shown that colonoscopy with removal of all colon polyps reduces deaths from colon cancer. Surveillance after polyps are found depends on the number and type of polyp that are found. If the polyp is not an adenoma, then follow- up with colonoscopy is not necessary. If only one polyp is found and it is a tubular adenoma less than 1 centimeter in size, then repeating the colonoscopy after five years is appropriate (Unless the individual has had a first degree relative with colon cancer in which case three years would be appropriate.) If a first or subsequent colonoscopy finds three or more adenomas, the next colonoscopy should be between one and three years later. If a polyp is flat (sessile) and, therefore, is more difficult to remove completely, then the site of the removal should be checked in 3-6 months to document complete removal and then again one year later. Once a normal colonoscopy without polyps is performed, the surveillance interval can be increased to five years. What happens if a polyp that is removed contains cancer? These polyps may be treated without surgical removal of that part of the colon that contained the polyp if: 1) the doctor is confident that the polyp was removed completely, 2) the pathologist does not see any cancer at the margin of the polyp that was attached to the colon (which would suggest that cancer was left behind), and 3) the cancer is histologically (under the microscope) "less aggressive" looking. Is one's risk of having colon cancer increased by having had an adenoma? An individual's risk of colon cancer is approximately double the general population once an adenomatous polyp is found. This individual's risk of developing colon cancer can be significantly reduced by removing the polyp and any future polyps.
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