Cancer of the Colon and Rectum: Detection and Treatment

The maxim "prevention is better than cure" holds true when it comes to health. And even in cases of diseases like cancer, still the best way out is health care. This means regularly go to medical appointments and routine screening. In the case of cancer of the colon and rectum, the tumor may take up to 15 years to develop and manifest itself, and if the disease is diagnosed early, the treatment success rate is very high. Unfortunately, lack of access to prevention campaigns or embarrassment in time to take the exams, the number of people with a diagnosis of advanced disease has been increasing. An estimate of the National Cancer Institute (Inca) points that are expected for the year 2008 about 30,000 new cases of cancer of the colon and rectum. "This tumor type is easy to diagnose. The first signal is a polyp that has the appearance of a small mole in the gut wall and a lesion is easily handled. However, over time, becomes invasive cancer," Dr. alert. Carlos Dzik, oncologist. With an eye on health The concern in demystifying the discomfort and stress the importance of preventive examinations resulted in the campaign Do not blush, look before you flush in the UK. In other words, the mere fact of looking at the stool before giving discharge and see if there's blood can report that something is wrong. The accuracy of diagnostic tests such as is found in colonoscopy although it is used to detect a possible problem in the colon can also check the rectum, located at the end of the large intestine. Examination, and locate the polyp or tumor, can pull it off, at the same time, for biopsy. The patient can also take advantage of an alternative test, which is the occult blood in stool. He must adopt a specific diet and avoid eating some foods, like meat or containing vitamin C, they may interfere with the results, if consumed between three and five days before collection. Three samples are collected to be submitted for laboratory analysis. A more comprehensive result requires a further examination along with the analysis of feces. Sigmoidoscopy should be done, you see the end of the large intestine, rectum and anus. This test can identify hemorrhoids, chronic inflammatory diseases and possibly a polyp or tumor. The rectal cancer can be seen more easily with the touch test, but there are also radiologic contrast such as barium - that can raise suspicions about the tumor. Still, you would need to undergo colonoscopy because of its accuracy. The given is that the person from the age of 50, to undergo routine tests. If there is anything suspicious, the patient undergoes further tests, only after ten years. If you have a family history of disease, the ideal is to make the accounts from the age of the parent. For example, if he has made cancer at age 40, you must submit to examination under 35 years. In other words: always count less than five years. In addition, the patient who has relatives with colon or rectal examination should be repeated every three to five years, even if the previous did not detect anything wrong. First Signs Who has manifested rectal tumors, in general, intestinal bleeding. With the tumor in the rectum, there are changes in the body. For example, the bowel becomes slower, cold and after a few days is noted diarrhea. There is also the onset of cramps. These changes can be warning signs - that is not necessarily cancer, but there is something wrong: common diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome. The patient with rectal cancer also receive additional chemotherapy if there is risk of the tumor returning. In addition, radiation passes through sessions. The complexity of the surgery varies with the tumor. Colostomy - externalized portion of the intestine in the abdominal wall through which feces and gases are discharged to a collection bag - can be temporary, if it is possible to preserve or restore the anal sphincter (muscle that controls the opening and closing of the anus), or then permanent, depending on the severity. "After the patient passes through the discomfort of treatment, can have a quality life," concludes Dr.. Dzik. More of the tests, people can adopt healthy habits and gain an ally in time to prevent cancer. "If all the world's population eat in large quantities vegetables, fresh fruits and vegetables would have 30% fewer tumors. In the case of bowel cancers, reduce the consumption of animal fat is also a preventive factor," says oncologist. In the case of colon cancer, early diagnosis is directly related to healing. This tumor is a small ulcer in a certain part of the intestine. During surgery, the expert, and removing the tumor, lymph nodes also bisects - a kind of bubo -, draining all flowing in the intestine and, therefore, can drain cancer cells. If the lymph nodes contain cancer cells, is also recommended additional chemotherapy for about six months in an attempt to reduce the chances of spreading disease.