Kay Kay Healthcare Ltd.
COLORECTAL CANCER
SYMPTOMS
In its stage, colorectal cancer usually produces no symptoms. The most likely warning signs include:
• Changes in bowel movements, including persistent constipation or diarrhea, a feeling of not being able to empty the bowel completely, or rectal bleeding.
• Dark patches of blood in or on stool; or long, thin, “pencil stools”.
• Stomach discomfort, intermittent cramps, frequent gas pains, heart burn, nausea, vomiting, bloating, or difficulty swallowing.
• Unexplained fatigue, or loss of appetite or weight.
WHAT IS COLORECTAL CANCER
Coiled inside your abdominal cavity is a long, tubular digestive tract. The muscular second half of this tube the large intestine, or bowel is composed of the colon, which stretches several feet, and the rectum, which is only a few inches long. Together, the colon and rectum act as a waste processor: Digested food moves in to the colon, the body absorbs any remaining water, and the solid waste is pushed through the rectum and out of the anus in the form of stool. The inner lining of the colorectal tube can be a fertile breeding ground for small tumours called polyps. About half of all adults over the age of 40 grow at least one colorectal polyp. Most polyps are benign, but at least one type is known to be precancerous. Nine out of ten malignant colorectal tumours develop from polyps in glandular tissue of the intestinal lining, although a few rare types of colorectal cancer arise from non-glandular tissue. If colorectal cancer is diagnosed and treated while the tumour is still localized, the disease is highly curable, with five year survival rates of about 90 percent. If the tumour continues to grow, cancer can spread directly through the bowel wall to surrounding tissues and organs, as well as into bloodstream or lymphatic system. Once the cancer spread to lymph nodes or other organs, successful treatment become more difficult. Depending upon how advance d the disease is, five year survival rates range anywhere from 70 percent to 5 percent. Cancer of colon and rectum are jointly responsible for about 12 percent of cancer in the United States, with approximately 150,000 cases diagnosed each year. Like many cancers, colorectal cancer is particular concern for the elderly. Although detection is often possible at an early stage, many people delay seeking medical care because they are embarrassed or fearful of symptoms related to their bowels. Risk increases significantly after 50 and continues to increase with age. Colorectal cancer is characteristically an urban disease, affecting city dwellers more often than rural dwellers, and Caucasians more than African Americans.
CAUSES
Colorectal cancer is strongly associated with certain other disease. Those people consider as high risk include anyone with a personal or a family history of colon polyps, inflammatory disease of the colon such as ulcerative colitis or Crown’s disease, and cancer of the pancreas, breast ovaries, colon, or rectum especially in a parent or sibling. If you develop ulcerative colitis, the risk of getting colorectal cancer is 20 times greater than average. As with any cancer, potential susceptibility to colorectal cancer is at least partly determined by genetic makeup. A few people inherit a condition called familial polyps sis, in which colon polyps develops at an early age; unless treated these people are almost certain to develop colorectal cancer. Diet also seems to contribute to the risk, although a cause and effect relationship is still unclear. People whose diets are low in fibre because they do not eat enough fruits, vegetables, and grains are known to be at increased risk. Many study implicate animal fat and protein as promoters of colorectal cancer, although researchers are cautious about drawing any definite conclusions. Some studies shows that regularly eating red meat, which is rich in saturated fat and protein, increases risk, while others find no connection. Some scientist think that fat Is the main culprit, while other suspect protein. Others contend that it’s not the fat and protein themselves, but the way they are cooked. They note that fats and protein cooked at high temperature especially when broiled and barbecued can produce a host of potentially carcinogenic substance linked to colorectal cancer. Heavy exposure to certain chemicals, including chlorine which in small amounts is commonly use to purify drinking water may increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Exposure to asbestos is thought to be potentially harmful, because it has been implicated in causing formation of polyps in the colon.
DIAGNOSTIC AND TEST PROCEDURES
Beginning about the age of 50, everyone should be screened regularly for colorectal cancer. Once a year, your doctor should perform a digital rectal examination and check your abdomen and lymph nodes for sign of swelling or a mass. As part of your annual check up, a stool sample should be analyzed for occult blood microscopic traces that could signal bleeding in the digestive tract. Every three of five years, you should have a sigmoid copy, an examination of your rectum and lower, or sigmoid, colon using a flexible, lighted tube called a sigmoid scope. While this screening technique may not be altogether pleasant, it is extremely valuable for detecting early cancer and other gastrointestinal disorders. A non- invasive screening procedure called virtual colonoscopy does away with the tube, instead using spiral computed tomography, which produces a three dimensional image of the colon after it has been emptied and partially inflated with air. Any suspicious symptoms or abnormalities will alert your doctor to perform a colonoscopy, a procedure much like sigmoid copy that allows a closer view of the inner lining of the bowel. If your doctor finds a polyp or tumour, a biopsy will determine whether or not it is malignant. You may also have the x-rays taken of the colon and rectum to view potential masses, along with blood and urine studies to check for characteristics chemical abnormalities. Should a biopsy confirm cancer, other test are run to find out whether it has spread to likely sites such as the liver, using x-rays, ultrasound, or CT scans.
TREATMENT
Cancer treatment involves not only specific therapies for curing or controlling the disease, but also strategies for meeting a patients emotional and physical needs. Restoring and maintaining quality of life is a central issue for physicians, as it should be for family members and friends as well. Many complementary therapies can be valuable adjuncts when pursued along with standard medical treatment to help the make stress of cancer and it’s treatment more tolerable.
CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE
Surgery is the most effective treatment for local colorectal tumours. Very small tumour can be removed through a colonoscopy, but even with small tumours the surgeon usually prefer to do a laparotomy removing a significant portion of the bowel and nearby lymph nodes. Often the surgeon can reconnect the healthy sections of the colon and rectum; when this is not possible, the surgeon forms an opening known as stoma in the abdomen and reroutes the severed colon to it. Waste is collected in a bag worn over the stoma. This procedure known as colostomy, often is only temporary; once the bowel has had time to heal, a second operations reconnect the colon and rectum. In the treatment of rectal cancer, preoperative radiation or chemotherapy may be advise to shrink the tumour. Radiation and chemotherapy may also be recommended to prevent local tumour recurrence and to lengthen survival time. Radiation is rarely recommended after colon cancer. Instead doctor have found that chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy can improve the period of survival patient whose cancer are spread from the colon to surrounding lymph nodes. In the immediate postoperative period, the patient can expect to receive painkillers and other medication to ease temporary diarrheal or constipation. Post op patient will be encouraged to eat nutritious food, rich in calories and proteins, in order to foster strength and healing. Once cancer of either the colon or rectum achieves remission, follow up exams to check for recurrence are essential indefinitely. But hundreds of thousands of people are living comfortable, normal lives even after colorectal surgery and a colostomy requires time, support, and understanding, people with stomata have discovered for the most part they can eat, play, and work as well as they did before.
COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES
Studies publish since the 1970s have essentially confirm that a high fibre diet substantially reduce the risk for colorectal cancer. Dietary fibre seems to protect the bowel from prolonged exposure to carcinogens by moving waste quickly and by inhibiting formation of some carcinogens. Major study also shows that a diet high in fruit and vegetables reduce risk for colorectal cancer, largely because of the fibre and other nutrients they provide. While some study indicate that folic acid, calcium, vitamin D, and antioxidants vitamins C, E, and A offer protection against developing colorectal cancer, other studies have failed to confirm these findings and in some case have flatly contradicted them. For now, the best advice regarding colorectal cancer and nutrition is to include in your daily diet whole grains at least five fresh fruits and vegetables especially cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli to ensure that you get ample fibre and many nutrients that may be protective.
PREVENTION
Eat plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; cut back on red meat and other high fat foods such as eggs and most dairy products. You can get the protein you need from low fat dairy products, nuts, beans, lentils, and soya bin products. Avoid overcooking or barbecuing meats and fish. To get more fibre, you can add bran or wheat germs to your breakfast cereal. Speak with your doctor about the latest evidence on aspirin and colorectal cancer. Some studies show that people who regularly take aspirin significantly reduce their risk for colorectal cancer, although other study finds no correlation. In any event, don’t start taking aspirin on your own; it is drug and can cause health problems if taken without a doctor advice. If you are over 50, make sure that you are being properly screened for colorectal cancer, especially if you are at high risk for the disease. Home test kits that check for blood in the stool are available at many drugstores. If such a test is positive, see your doctor. If your doctor find a polyp, have it removed.
COLORECTAL CANCER
SYMPTOMS
In its stage, colorectal cancer usually produces no symptoms. The most likely warning signs include:
• Changes in bowel movements, including persistent constipation or diarrhea, a feeling of not being able to empty the bowel completely, or rectal bleeding.
• Dark patches of blood in or on stool; or long, thin, “pencil stools”.
• Stomach discomfort, intermittent cramps, frequent gas pains, heart burn, nausea, vomiting, bloating, or difficulty swallowing.
• Unexplained fatigue, or loss of appetite or weight.
WHAT IS COLORECTAL CANCER
Coiled inside your abdominal cavity is a long, tubular digestive tract. The muscular second half of this tube the large intestine, or bowel is composed of the colon, which stretches several feet, and the rectum, which is only a few inches long. Together, the colon and rectum act as a waste processor: Digested food moves in to the colon, the body absorbs any remaining water, and the solid waste is pushed through the rectum and out of the anus in the form of stool. The inner lining of the colorectal tube can be a fertile breeding ground for small tumours called polyps. About half of all adults over the age of 40 grow at least one colorectal polyp. Most polyps are benign, but at least one type is known to be precancerous. Nine out of ten malignant colorectal tumours develop from polyps in glandular tissue of the intestinal lining, although a few rare types of colorectal cancer arise from non-glandular tissue. If colorectal cancer is diagnosed and treated while the tumour is still localized, the disease is highly curable, with five year survival rates of about 90 percent. If the tumour continues to grow, cancer can spread directly through the bowel wall to surrounding tissues and organs, as well as into bloodstream or lymphatic system. Once the cancer spread to lymph nodes or other organs, successful treatment become more difficult. Depending upon how advance d the disease is, five year survival rates range anywhere from 70 percent to 5 percent. Cancer of colon and rectum are jointly responsible for about 12 percent of cancer in the United States, with approximately 150,000 cases diagnosed each year. Like many cancers, colorectal cancer is particular concern for the elderly. Although detection is often possible at an early stage, many people delay seeking medical care because they are embarrassed or fearful of symptoms related to their bowels. Risk increases significantly after 50 and continues to increase with age. Colorectal cancer is characteristically an urban disease, affecting city dwellers more often than rural dwellers, and Caucasians more than African Americans.
CAUSES
Colorectal cancer is strongly associated with certain other disease. Those people consider as high risk include anyone with a personal or a family history of colon polyps, inflammatory disease of the colon such as ulcerative colitis or Crown’s disease, and cancer of the pancreas, breast ovaries, colon, or rectum especially in a parent or sibling. If you develop ulcerative colitis, the risk of getting colorectal cancer is 20 times greater than average. As with any cancer, potential susceptibility to colorectal cancer is at least partly determined by genetic makeup. A few people inherit a condition called familial polyps sis, in which colon polyps develops at an early age; unless treated these people are almost certain to develop colorectal cancer. Diet also seems to contribute to the risk, although a cause and effect relationship is still unclear. People whose diets are low in fibre because they do not eat enough fruits, vegetables, and grains are known to be at increased risk. Many study implicate animal fat and protein as promoters of colorectal cancer, although researchers are cautious about drawing any definite conclusions. Some studies shows that regularly eating red meat, which is rich in saturated fat and protein, increases risk, while others find no connection. Some scientist think that fat Is the main culprit, while other suspect protein. Others contend that it’s not the fat and protein themselves, but the way they are cooked. They note that fats and protein cooked at high temperature especially when broiled and barbecued can produce a host of potentially carcinogenic substance linked to colorectal cancer. Heavy exposure to certain chemicals, including chlorine which in small amounts is commonly use to purify drinking water may increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Exposure to asbestos is thought to be potentially harmful, because it has been implicated in causing formation of polyps in the colon.
DIAGNOSTIC AND TEST PROCEDURES
Beginning about the age of 50, everyone should be screened regularly for colorectal cancer. Once a year, your doctor should perform a digital rectal examination and check your abdomen and lymph nodes for sign of swelling or a mass. As part of your annual check up, a stool sample should be analyzed for occult blood microscopic traces that could signal bleeding in the digestive tract. Every three of five years, you should have a sigmoid copy, an examination of your rectum and lower, or sigmoid, colon using a flexible, lighted tube called a sigmoid scope. While this screening technique may not be altogether pleasant, it is extremely valuable for detecting early cancer and other gastrointestinal disorders. A non- invasive screening procedure called virtual colonoscopy does away with the tube, instead using spiral computed tomography, which produces a three dimensional image of the colon after it has been emptied and partially inflated with air. Any suspicious symptoms or abnormalities will alert your doctor to perform a colonoscopy, a procedure much like sigmoid copy that allows a closer view of the inner lining of the bowel. If your doctor finds a polyp or tumour, a biopsy will determine whether or not it is malignant. You may also have the x-rays taken of the colon and rectum to view potential masses, along with blood and urine studies to check for characteristics chemical abnormalities. Should a biopsy confirm cancer, other test are run to find out whether it has spread to likely sites such as the liver, using x-rays, ultrasound, or CT scans.
TREATMENT
Cancer treatment involves not only specific therapies for curing or controlling the disease, but also strategies for meeting a patients emotional and physical needs. Restoring and maintaining quality of life is a central issue for physicians, as it should be for family members and friends as well. Many complementary therapies can be valuable adjuncts when pursued along with standard medical treatment to help the make stress of cancer and it’s treatment more tolerable.
CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE
Surgery is the most effective treatment for local colorectal tumours. Very small tumour can be removed through a colonoscopy, but even with small tumours the surgeon usually prefer to do a laparotomy removing a significant portion of the bowel and nearby lymph nodes. Often the surgeon can reconnect the healthy sections of the colon and rectum; when this is not possible, the surgeon forms an opening known as stoma in the abdomen and reroutes the severed colon to it. Waste is collected in a bag worn over the stoma. This procedure known as colostomy, often is only temporary; once the bowel has had time to heal, a second operations reconnect the colon and rectum. In the treatment of rectal cancer, preoperative radiation or chemotherapy may be advise to shrink the tumour. Radiation and chemotherapy may also be recommended to prevent local tumour recurrence and to lengthen survival time. Radiation is rarely recommended after colon cancer. Instead doctor have found that chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy can improve the period of survival patient whose cancer are spread from the colon to surrounding lymph nodes. In the immediate postoperative period, the patient can expect to receive painkillers and other medication to ease temporary diarrheal or constipation. Post op patient will be encouraged to eat nutritious food, rich in calories and proteins, in order to foster strength and healing. Once cancer of either the colon or rectum achieves remission, follow up exams to check for recurrence are essential indefinitely. But hundreds of thousands of people are living comfortable, normal lives even after colorectal surgery and a colostomy requires time, support, and understanding, people with stomata have discovered for the most part they can eat, play, and work as well as they did before.
COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES
Studies publish since the 1970s have essentially confirm that a high fibre diet substantially reduce the risk for colorectal cancer. Dietary fibre seems to protect the bowel from prolonged exposure to carcinogens by moving waste quickly and by inhibiting formation of some carcinogens. Major study also shows that a diet high in fruit and vegetables reduce risk for colorectal cancer, largely because of the fibre and other nutrients they provide. While some study indicate that folic acid, calcium, vitamin D, and antioxidants vitamins C, E, and A offer protection against developing colorectal cancer, other studies have failed to confirm these findings and in some case have flatly contradicted them. For now, the best advice regarding colorectal cancer and nutrition is to include in your daily diet whole grains at least five fresh fruits and vegetables especially cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli to ensure that you get ample fibre and many nutrients that may be protective.
PREVENTION
Eat plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; cut back on red meat and other high fat foods such as eggs and most dairy products. You can get the protein you need from low fat dairy products, nuts, beans, lentils, and soya bin products. Avoid overcooking or barbecuing meats and fish. To get more fibre, you can add bran or wheat germs to your breakfast cereal. Speak with your doctor about the latest evidence on aspirin and colorectal cancer. Some studies show that people who regularly take aspirin significantly reduce their risk for colorectal cancer, although other study finds no correlation. In any event, don’t start taking aspirin on your own; it is drug and can cause health problems if taken without a doctor advice. If you are over 50, make sure that you are being properly screened for colorectal cancer, especially if you are at high risk for the disease. Home test kits that check for blood in the stool are available at many drugstores. If such a test is positive, see your doctor. If your doctor find a polyp, have it removed.
No comments:
Post a Comment