Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is a disease characterized by the development of cancer cells in the tissue of the colon or the rectum; it is another name for colon or rectal cancer. Risk factors for this form of cancer include being 50 years of age or older, smoking, and having a family history of colon or rectal cancer. Symptoms of colorectal cancer include things such as blood in the stool and unexplained weight loss; however, these possible signs of colon or rectal cancer may be caused by other conditions. Treatment options for this type of cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of treatments.

 

An Overview of Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is a disease in which cancerous cells originate in the tissue of the colon or rectum. Cancer that begins in the colon is called colon cancer, and cancer that begins in the rectum is called rectal cancer; colorectal cancer is another name for these forms of cancer.
 
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in the United States. In recent years, the number of people diagnosed with colorectal cancer has stayed about the same, but the number of people who die from colorectal cancer has decreased. Colorectal cancer is found more often in men than in women.
 

Risk Factors for Colorectal Cancer

Anything that increases a person's chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Risk factors for colorectal cancer include the following:
 
  • Being 50 years of age or older
     
  • Having a personal history of any of the following:

 

 

  • Having a parent, brother, sister, or child with colorectal cancer or polyps
     
  • Having certain hereditary conditions, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (also known as HNPCC or Lynch Syndrome)
     
  • Certain diets (such as diets that are high in fat and low in fiber)

 

  • Smoking.
     
(Colorectal Cancer Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD