Colon Cancer

             Risk Factors of Colorectal Cancer.
             Colorectal cancer is more likely to occur as people get older. Most people who develop colorectal cancer are over the age of 50. However, the disease can occur at any age. Strong family history of colorectal cancer, especially among first-degree relatives (parents, sibling, or offspring) are at higher risk of developing this disease. Approximately 5% of patients with colorectal cancer have an inherited genetic abnormality that cause the cancer.(ACS).
             Familial adenomatous polyposis disease people typically develop hundreds of polyps in their colon and rectum. This occurs between the ages of 5 and 40. Cancer usually develops in one or more of these polyps beginning at age 20, affecting nearly all people with this disorder by age 40.(Fisher).
             Hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer is another genetic syndrome that develops at a relatively young age, but they only have a few polyps. This accounts for 3% to 4% of all colorectal cancers.(ACS).
             Your risk increases if you have chronic inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis characterized by inflammation of the colon over a long period of time.(Dollinger) Crohns disease typically affect the small bowel, although the colon may also be affected. A diet that consists mostly of high in fat, especially from animal sources also increases your risk of colorectal cancer.
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             Staging of Colon Cancer.
             1. Stage 0: Cancer has not grown beyond the inner lining of the colon, Surgery is all that is needed.
             2. Stage I: Cancer has grown through several layers of the colon. It has not spread outside the colon wall.
             3. Stage II: Cancer has grown through the wall of the colon into nearby tissue. It has not yet spread to the lymph nodes.
             4. Stage III: Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, but has not yet spread to other parts of the body.
             5. Stage IV: Cancer has spread to distant organs such as liver, lung peritoneum, or ovary.