Thursday, February 25, 2010

What is Colon Cancer

To know what is colon cancer, firstly it is important to know what is the Colon.

Now Colon is a part of our body’s digestive system, this is where the body stores waste material . The end of the colon adjacent is the rectum which leads to the anus. Both together, form an extended muscular tube which is known as large intestine which is also known as large bowel.

Colon or rectum tumors are growths that arise from the large intestines or large bowels inner wall. Large intestines benign tumor is called polyps, and large intestines malignant tumor is called cancer. Benign polyps do not have the tendency to invade tissues around and even don’t spread to different parts of a body.

Benign polyps are not at all life-threatening and can be very easily removed via colonoscopy. However if this benign polyps is not removed for a long time from large intestine it can turn into malignant. Most cancers of large intestine or the large bowel is known to be developed from benign polyps. There is even a possibility that cancer cell could break and spread from one organ to another like lungs and liver and form new tumors. Hence, colon cancer.

Globally rectum and colon cancer is third foremost reason of cancer found in men and fourth foremost reason of cancer found in women. Colon cancer is commonly found in Western world, but is relatively uncommon in Africa and Asia.