Monday, November 8, 2010

How can you tell if you have colon cancer? What causes it

How can you tell if you have colon cancer? What causes it?
Random question...I do not think I have it or anything, but I hear about it everywhere. So how do you know if you have it? What causes it? Are there any symptoms?
Cancer - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
You need to have a colonoscopy performed by a reputable physician.
2 :
The one true diagnostic procedure for cancer (usually any type of cancer) is to do a biopsy. Colonoscopy (a small camera on a scope that is fed through the anus and up the colon as far as possible) is done to look for cancer and to do biopsies. Some causes of colon cancer are: age, race, diet, irritable bowel diseases, alcohol, smoking, diabetes, environment, gender, genetics, history of polyps...
3 :
You can't tell if you have colon cancer. You have to have a colonoscopy which is when they insert a camera into you bowel through your bum. To have one, you have to be either over a certain age and hence are checked regularly, or because you may have symptoms or other bowel issues. I had some of the symptoms, which is what made me go to the doctor. However, the problem with colon cancer is that it doesn't show any symptoms until it is quite advanced. Symptoms are: - rectal bleeding - painful stomach cramps - constipation - diarrhoea - a feeling of having not emptied your bowels fully - fatigue There are many explanations for the causes of colon cancer but they include: - your age - your risk increases the older you are - your diet - a diet high in red meats and processed meat increases your risk - polyps - they are growths in the bowel which can turn cancerous - obesity - genetics - whilst it is a small percent, it does still happen (I was 20 when diagnosed) - bowel problems - e.g. IBS, chrons, ulcerative colitis But fortunately, colon cancer can be treated if caught early enough.

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