Did You Know?
- Among men and women, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in Americans
- About 93,800 new cases of colon cancer (43,400 men and 50,400 women) and 36,400 new cases of rectal cancer (20,200 men and 16,200 women) will be diagnosed in 2000
- Colon cancer is expected to be responsible for about 47,700 deaths (23,100 men and 24,600 women) during 2000
- About 8,600 people (4,700 men and 3,900 women) will die from rectal cancer during 2000
- The death rate from colorectal cancer has been going down for the past 20 years
- This may be because there are fewer cases, more of the cases are found early, and treatments have improved
- CDC Screen for Life - National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign
- Early detection is the key
Screening
- Fecal Occult
- The fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is used to find occult (hidden) blood in feces
- Blood vessels at the surface of colorectal adenomas or cancers are often fragile and easily damaged by the passage of feces
- The damaged vessels may release enough blood to change the color of the stool; more often, the damaged blood vessels release only a small amount of blood into the feces.
This blood does not change the appearance of the stool, but may be detected by the FOBT
- If this test is positive, additional testing is needed
Signs & Symptoms
- A change in bowel habits such as diarrhea, constipation, or narrowing of the stool that lasts for more than a few days
- A feeling that you need to have a bowel movement that is not relieved by doing so
- Rectal bleeding or blood in the stool
- Cramping or steady abdominal (stomach area) pain
- Decreased appetite
- Weakness and fatigue
- Jaundice (yellow-green discoloration of the skin and white part of the eyes)
Risk Factors for Colon Cancer
- Family history of colorectal cancer: relatives of colorectal cancer patients are also at increased risk for developing this disease
- A personal history of colorectal cancer: Even when a colorectal cancer has been completely removed, new cancers may develop in other areas of the colon and rectum
- A personal history of intestinal polyps
- A personal history of chronic inflammatory bowel disease
- Aging: About 90% of people found to have colorectal cancer are 50 years of age or older
- A diet mostly from animal sources: A diet that consists mostly of foods that are high in fat, especially from animal sources, can increase the risk of colorectal cancer
- Physical inactivity: People who do not get at least a moderate degree of physical activity have an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer
- Obesity: Being very overweight increases a person's colorectal cancer risk; having excess fat in the waist area increases this risk more than having the same amount of fat in the thighs or hips
Sources For More Information on Colon Cancer
Information on this page has been taken from American Cancer Society, Centers for Disease Control, and National Cancer Institute resources.
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