Colorectal cancer - commonly known as colon cancer, or bowel cancer - is any cancer that affects the last section of the digestive system. This usually means the colon (large bowel) or rectum (back passage).

Colon cancer is caused by the abnormal growth of cells in the lining of the bowel. Usually small lumps called polyps begin to form.

Commonly these lumps are referred to as tumours.

What does colorectal mean?

Colorectal is a word which means 'the colon and rectum'. The colon and rectum are parts of the gut (gastrointestinal tract). The gut starts at the mouth and ends at the anus. When we eat or drink the food and liquid travel down the oesophagus (gullet) into the stomach. The stomach churns up the food and then passes it into the small intestine

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Incidence and mortality

There are more than 12,500 new cases each year. The risk of being diagnosed by age 85 is 1 in 10 for men and 1 in 15 for women. More than 4372 people die of colorectal cancer each year.

Interventions to alleviate the impact of colorectal cancer

Psychological distress is common in patients with all forms of cancer and usually remains undetected.42 Diagnosis is difficult because the symptoms of depression, anxiety, effects of treatment, and the cancer itself, overlap. Furthermore, differentiating depression from profound sadness and from demoralisation is not easy. Core features of depression include: persisting negative thoughts about self and the future, inability to take pleasure from day to day activities and a wish to self-harm. Biological features such as insomnia are commonly due to the cancer itself and its treatment

Risk Factors For Colorectal Cancer

·    Age: the older you are, the more likely you are to develop CRC. Most of those diagnosed are 70 years or older.

·    Heredity: you are more likely to get CRC if someone in your family, especially your immediate family, has been diagnosed with it.

·    Diet: a diet high in red meat and low in fruits and vegetables may increase your risk.

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms may include:

·    blood (bright red or black flecks) or mucus in the stool (faeces)

·    changes in bowel habits (diarrhoea, constipation or both) which lasts more than six weeks

·    the feeling of still having to go to the toilet even after having emptied the bowels

·    pain or discomfort in the stomach area (colicky pain, cramps, or tenderness)

·    unexplained weight loss

·    extreme tiredness (this may be due to bleeding)

·    a lump in the abdomen.

Risk Factors

People with a family history of colorectal cancer have a higher risk of developing the cancer themselves. A family history of polyps (see Tumors of the Digestive System: Colorectal Polyps) also increases the risk of colorectal cancer.

People with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease are at greater risk as well. This risk is related to the person's age when the disease developed and the length of time the person has had the disease.

Treatment

Cancer of the colon, when diagnosed early and treated effectively, has a cure rate of nearly 70%. New targeted therapies and better surgical procedures have improved outcomes-and especially helped in post-operative rehabilitation.