Among the most spread cancers, colon cancer usually occurs in men and women over the age of 50. The main causes of colon cancer are related to the patient’s diet: very low in fiber and high in fat and calories. By keeping a healthy life style and good eating habits, you can prevent developing cancer of the colon even before this becomes a problem. You might also want to try and check your family history for cases of colon cancer and adopt a healthier diet in order to make sure you will avoid this problem in the future.

Colon cancer treatments are varied and you can choose from a series of traditional and alternative methods of dealing with this condition. Surgery is often the number one choice – the surgeon removes the tumors on the colon, even if the cancer cells are spread beyond the colon itself. This ensures less problems in the future of the patient’s life, reducing chances of bowel problems or internal bleeding. Colon cancer surgery is usually categorized in four main areas: rectum resection, radio frequency ablation, colostomy and colon resection. The surgeon will determine which method is best suited for each individual patient. Detecting cancer at a very early stage is important, as the problem can be corrected in a decisive and final manner. By using a polypectomy, the surgeon will remove suspicious polyps in order to minimize chances of the disease. Local excision may also be used in early stages, in order to remove the cancer cells. After surgery, your hospital should provide you with ongoing support in order to ensure a fast and efficient recovery.

Intra arterial chemotherapy is another treatment worth consideration. This treatment targets tumors by delivering a powerful dose of chemotherapy. Primary systemic chemotherapy is often used before a surgical procedure in order to destroy a large majority of cancer cells. Systemic therapy is usually used with metastatic cancer, while the third method, adjuvant chemotherapy, targets any cancer cells that might have been left over after surgery. All three chemotherapy procedures are delivered through the hepatic artery and are an option if the cancer has spread to the liver.

Another choice comes from chemoembolization treatment. In addition to being delivered intra arterially, this type of treatment blocks the blood flow to the areas affected by cancer. It traps the chemotherapy drugs in the area of the tumor, thus ensuring that they work efficiently and on target.

George Anderson is very interested in colon cancer and the variety of colon cancer treatments available.

There are many cases of colon cancer today, with significantly more people being diagnosed with this potentially deadly disease below age 50 than previously. Colon cancer used to be considered a disease of the elderly, but nowadays many younger people are diagnosed with this kind of disease. This is more because of unhealthy lifestyles such as eating habits, lack of exercises and many other factors.

People tend to consume junk food and any other foods that are over-processed and contain high fat and sugar. This allows the chemically-laced food to sit in colon for longer time and lead to the cancer disease.

Several ways to keep your colon healthy:

1. Balancing your diet

A balance diet will supply your body with sufficient nutrition: balance in carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. It will be better to get all these nutritions naturally by consuming healthy foods such as: fresh vegetables and beans, fish, fruits, seafood and milk. Taking daily supplements also will help.

2. Reduce over-processed foods

Reduce intake of over-processed foods, especially fried foods because these foods contain of high fat that is dangerous to health. You can also choose organic foods that are higher in nutrition. Avoid sausage, hot dogs, ham, and many of which contain salt, sodium nitrites and sodium nitrates, which play big role in leading to colon cancer.

3. Exercise regularly

Do exercise at least 3 times a week is adequate to maintain your stamina and health. If you have any disease, it would be wise to consult with your doctor what exercise suits your current condition.

4. Drink eight glasses of water daily

Adequate water is essential to your body and will help to clean your system by gently washing out offensive bacteria and germs that can harbor in the colon and lead to illness or problems.

5. Colon cleansing

Colon cleansing method has been so popular as an option to keep your colon healthy. Consult with your doctor if you wish to take this method.

6. Visit your doctor and have an annual medical check-up to prevent diseases.

J. Raizel is the owner of Beauty, Health and Fitness blog and Beauty, Health and Fitness eStore. You will find updated news, information, tips and articles about health, beauty and fitness and related products.

A high intake of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is a kind of fat found naturally in cow’s milk, significantly lowers risk of bowel cancer, according to a new study.

60,000 Women Over 15 Years

Middle-aged women who reported having the highest intake of CLA during the late ’80s were about 30 percent less likely to have developed bowel cancer within the following 15 years. Data from over 60,000 women were analyzed.

Even further, those who ate at least four servings of high-fat dairy foods each day had a 41 percent lower risk of bowel cancer than those who ate less than one. Each increment of two servings of dairy products equaled a 13 percent reduction in a woman’s colon cancer risk.

Increases Some Risks, Decreases Others

Milk-based products have been linked to increased risk of other cancers, such as breast cancer and prostate cancer, but both milk and calcium have been associated with a lower bowel cancer risk in several previous studies.

Current research has usually focused on calcium as the potential mechanism for this. Few if any other studies have evaluated the role of CLA.

Bowel cancer is the third most common form of the disease worldwide.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition October 2005; 82(4): 894-900 Food Navigator USA.com October 10, 2005

Dr. Mercola’s Comment:You may recall that cancer, NOT heart disease, is now America’s top killer.In my book, any natural strategy that cuts your risk of the top killer by half is worth looking into more seriously.

CLA is one such potent cancer-fighter, for as little as 0.5 percent in your daily diet could reduceyour risk of colon cancerby more than 50 percent.

CLA is primarily in dairy products produced from cows that were not fed grain. Much of the animals’ ability to produce CLA is shut down the moment they start eating foods they were not designed to eat like grains.

If you are eating commercial beef you can rest assured that the last three months of that steer’s life it was fed grain in a feedlot prior to slaughter. This is unfortunate as their CLA production is virtually shut off.Grass-fed cattle typically have 500 percentmore CLA than commercial grain-fed beef.

Of the various types of dairy foods assessed in this study the strongest protection for cancer was seen with cheese. That is great news as that is probably the easiest way to obtain grass-fed raw milk. There are far less restrictions on its sale and it is widely available in every state.

It is important to undestand that the pasteurization processcan actually change the three dimensionalstructure of the fragile milk proteins (especially casein) and convert them into proteins your body was never designed to handle. This frequently results in health complications.

Pasteurized milk is inferior to raw milk in a number of importantways as it:

• Increasestooth decay

If you are concerned about potential health risks from drinking raw milk I suggest you review my article on why raw milk is becoming more popular. If you are unable to find a local dairy farmer in your area who sells raw milk, I encourage you to visit the Real Milk Web site to locate a source close to you.

If you are interested in lowering your risk of colon cancer and you are unable to easily secure raw milk, I would encourage you to seek grass-fed, organic, raw milk cheese in your local health food store. BUT please make sure it is grass-fed.

This article is reprinted from Mercola.com, the world’s #1 most visited and trusted natural/alternative health website. For a limited time only, you can take the FREE "Metabolic Type Test" to help you learn the right foods for your particular body type so you can achieve optimal fitness & health. Just go to http://www.mercola.com/forms/mt_test.htm right now to take this quick test!

Staging is a method of evaluating the progress of colon cancer in a patient. That is, it looks at the colon cancer (tumor) and the extent to which the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Once doctors know how far along the colon cancer is, they can decide on the best course of treatment.

Today, the most common used system for the staging of colon cancer is the American Joint Committee on Cancer’s (AJCC) TNM staging system. This staging system places patients into one of four stages (Stage I, Stage II, Stage III and Stage IV).

American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Staging System

Stage 0 Colon Cancer

In Stage 0, the colon cancer is found in the innermost lining of the colon only. Stage 0 colorectal cancer is also called carcinoma in situ.

Stage I Colon Cancer

In Stage I, the colon cancer has begun to spread, but is still in the inner lining of the colon or rectum. In Stage I, the colon cancer has not reached the outer wall of the colon. Another name for Stage I colorectal cancer or Duke A.

Stage II Colon Cancer

In Stage II, the colon cancer extends more deeply into and/or through the colon or rectum. The colon cancer may have invaded nearby tissue. In Stage II, it the colon cancer has not reached lymph nodes (Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped structures found throughout the body that filter substances in a fluid call lymph to help fight infection and disease. Another name for Stage II colorectal cancer or Duke B.

Stage III Colon Cancer

In Stage III, the colon cancer has spread to lymph nodes, but has not been carried to distant parts of the body. Another name for Stage III colorectal cancer or Duke C.

Stage IV Colon Cancer

In Stage IV, the colon cancer has been carried through the lymph system to distant parts of the body. This is known as metastasis. The most likely organs to experience metastasis from colorectal cancer are the lungs and liver. Another name for Stage IV colorectal cancer or Duke D.

Recurrent Colon Cancer or Cancerous Cells

Recurrent colon cancer is the return of cancerous cells that have already been treated. The cancerous cells could return as colorectal cancer, and/or return in any other part of the body.

Theodore Frazer

Treatment of Stage 0 Colon Cancer

Treatment of Stage 0 colon cancer (carcinoma in situ) may include the following types of surgery:

· Local excision, which is surgery to remove the colon cancer without cutting through the abdominal wall.

· A polypectomy, which is surgery to remove the colon cancer from the bulging piece of tissue.

· Resection/anastomosis, which is surgery that removes the colon cancer by taking out a section of the colon and rejoining the cut ends of the colon. This procedure is done when the cancerous tissue is too large to remove by local excision.

Treatment of Stage I Colon Cancer

Treatment of Stage I colon cancer is usually resection/anastomosis (removal of colon cancer by joining the cut ends of the colon) because the cancerous tissue is usually too large at this stage to be removed by local excision.

Treatment of Stage II Colon Cancer

Treatment of Stage II colon cancer may include the following:

· Resection/anastomosis

· Clinical trials of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or biological therapy after surgery

Treatment of Stage III Colon Cancer

Treatment of Stage III colon cancer may include the following:

· Resection/anastomosis with or without chemotherapy.

· Clinical trials of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and/or biological therapy after surgery.

Treatment of Stage IV Colon Cancer

Treatment of Stage IV colon cancer may include the following:

· Resection/anastomosis

· Surgery to remove parts of other organs such as the liver, lungs, and ovaries where the cancer may have spread.

· Chemotherapy.

· Clinical trials of chemotherapy or biological therapy.

· Radiation therapy may be offered to some patients as palliative therapy (to relieve symptoms).

Treatment of Recurrent Colon Cancer or Cancerous Cells

Treatment of recurrent colon cancer depends on where the cancer has recurred (come back) and the general health of the patient. Treatment for recurrent colon cancer may include the following:

· Surgery to remove cancer that may have spread to the liver, lungs, or ovaries.

· Surgery to remove cancer cells that have recurred in the colon.

· Radiation therapy as palliative therapy.

· Chemotherapy as palliative therapy.

· Clinical trials of biological therapy or chemotherapy.

Theodore Frazer

Colon Surgery: The goal of colon surgery is to eliminate the colon cancer by removing a section of the colon that is infected. This procedure is also referred to as a colon resection.

Preparing for colon surgery

The night before a colon resection is a busy and important time. The colon must be cleansed with a powerful laxative and antibiotics to flush out any food remnants to reduce the risk of infection during and after the surgery. In addition, only clear liquids should be consumed the night before and you should not consume anything after midnight; this keeps the colon free of stool.

Before colon surgery

Before colon surgery takes place you will go through a series of routine tests, such as blood work and EKG and/or chest X-rays. You will be completely asleep (general anesthesia) for the colon surgery.

The procedure

Depending on the amount of colon that needs to be removed, the amount of previous scarring, and the technique used the procedure will typically last from 2 to 4 hours.

After making an incision in the abdomen, usually down the middle, the surgeon will isolate the diseased portion of the colon from the surrounding organs and remove it. Once the infected section is removed, the surgeon will reconnect the colon with sutures or with a stapling device. This procedure is called anastomosis or resection and is one of the most common procedures used to remove colon cancer.

If necessary a colostomy may be constructed to help eliminate waste products while the colon is healing. A colostomy is an incision (cut) into the colon (large intestine) to create an artificial opening or "stoma" to the exterior of the abdomen. This opening serves as a substitute anus. Bowel movements fall into a collection pouch. Our ostomy nursing staff will teach you skin care and how to change the bag.

After colon surgery

You may have a thin plastic tube in your nose that goes down to your stomach. The purpose is to remove any air or fluid that would make you uncomfortable or sick. It will be removed as soon as your bowels start working, usually 4-5 days after surgery. Your incision will usually have metal clips, or staples, on the skin surface and your abdomen may be slightly bruised and swollen.

Theodore Frazer

Colon cancer is more commonly known as bowel cancer, this is where there is a malignant growth in the colon. Early symptoms of colon cancer can include a change in bowel movements either constipation or diahoerria , pain in the lower abdomen, blood mixed in with the faeces. These symptoms are fairly mundane, so often go un-noticed causing the tumor to grow undetected, inperticulally as people still find it hard to discuss there bowel movements with anybody especially there Doctor. Occasionally there are no symptoms until the tumor has got so large that it causes a blockage in the intestine or Could possibly even perforate the intestine. Some forms of colon cancer can be genetic/hereditary however in some cases of colon cancer the precise reason people Contract the disease is unknown. Diet may be cause of colon cancer, eating a lot of meat, too much fatty foods and not enough fiber, fruit and vegetables all add up to a un-healthy diet so increasing the risk of colon cancer.

The tests carried out to diagnose colon cancer include a sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy. A sigmoidoscopy is when a camera is inserted into the anus to examine the rectum and the sigmoid colon. A colonoscopy is when a flexible fibre-optic camera Called a colonscope is put into the body via the anus and fed along the colon. Instruments may be fed down the colonscope So this is how a biopsy would be performed. Colon cancer can often occur with other diseases of the colon, for example ulcerative colitis.

The chance of a cure for colon cancer depends on whether you get a early enough diagnosis. Surgery is the best chance of Survival and sometimes radiotherapy and chemotherapy may also be offered, but there would be no guarenties of a very long term future. The surgical procedure involves a general anesthetic and the diseased part of the colon is removed plus a bit extra on both sides to make sure they have it all. The amount of colon that has to be removed varies from person to person but the Majority of people will end up with a colostomy. This is where a small inscision is made in the stomach and the healthy colon Is pulled through it and secured this is called a stoma. The stoma makes it possible for the person to still have there bowels opened by means of a colostomy bag which is attached to the stoma usually by a adhesive. These bags are disposable and Keep all smells etc in [until you change them when the bowel has worked]. The colostomy is sometimes only temporary depending on how much bowel was removed. If it is to be only temporary it could be there for up to six months just to allow the colon to heal without faeces being past through it. If the colostomy is to be permanent than the anus may be sewn up whilst the person is in theatre having there diseased colon removed and the stoma made.

Colon cancer is still a large killer but mostly because people do not get it diagnosed early enough. The survival rate is much better when diagnoses are made early as treatment can begin and may not end up being so evasive. It is a shame to die from embarrassment is it not.

For more information on colon cancer click here

Your fibre intake is a critical factor in weight loss and general well-being. Health professionals advise that adults should eat at least 25-35 grams of fibre each day. The current average in western countries such as Australia and the US is well below the recommended levels. For many people, increasing your fibre intake would very likely lead to improved health outcomes including reducing your risk of colon cancer.

Check the following chart to see how much fibre you’re getting.
Food Source - Dietary Fibre Content (grams)
Mixed grain/brown bread (1 slice) - 1.5g
White bread (1 slice) - 0.8g
Rolled oats (1 cup cooked) - 3.3g
Bran cereal (1/2 cup) - 7.5g
Rice (1/2 cup cooked) - 0.8g
Rice, brown (1/2 cup cooked) - 1.8g
Spaghetti, brown (1/2 cup cooked) - 4.2g
Banana - 3.4g
Apple, pear or orange - 2.0g
Prunes, dates or dried apricots (50g) - 6.5g
Sultanas or raisins (50g) - 3.5g
Peas, green (100g) - 5.3g
Corn kernels (100g) - 4.7g
Potato, peeled, cooked (100g) - 1.0g
Broccoli (100g) - 4.1g
Carrot (100g) - 2.8g
Baked beans (1 small can) - 9.5g

Here are some common questions about fibre in our diet.

What is fibre? Fibre is the indigestible carbohydrate residue found in foods. There are two types: soluble or insoluble. Soluble is soft and mushy - for instance beans and porridge; insoluble is hard and course, such as wheat bran.

What good does fibre do? Fibre works by speeding up the time it takes food to pass through the large intestine, reducing the absorption of toxic and carcinogenic compounds. It also modifies the metabolism of foods, binds waste products for elimination and counters the effects of toxic bacteria in the colon. Dietary fibre is helpful for those who want to lose weight, since fibre absorbs water so you feel full and satisfied throughout the day. Adding fibre to your diet can help improve your eating habits, which can lead to weight loss and more energy!

What is the recommended daily amount? 25-35 grams. At present, the amount of fibre consumed in a typical diet in developed countries is well below the recommended levels.

Which foods are high in fibre? Natural foods are usually high in fibre i.e. whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruit and vegetables.

What happens to fibre in the body? It passes through the stomach into the digestive tract, and on to the large bowel intact where it absorbs water and other waste materials, then it is passed as stools.

How can fibre assist Type II diabetics? A study published in the May 11, 2000 issue of The New England Journal of medicine reports that diabetic patients who included 50 grams of fibre in their daily diet lowered their glucose levels by 10%. Fifty grams is a lot of fibre: about twice as much as the American Diabetes Association recommends, and nearly 3 times as much fibre as most Americans consume in a day.

How can I increase my fibre intake…in my area there is not a good supply of fresh fruit and vegetables? Nutritional supplements are the perfect answer to dietary problems where the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables is compromised.

Kim Beardsmore is an independent Herbalife distributor, weight loss coach and creator of the online health & fitness magazine Weight Loss Health. For a free weight loss consultation, newsletter and resources to help you lose weight and keep it off forever, visit http://www.weight-loss-health.com.au Your online Herbalife store at http://www.weightlosshealth.herbalcoach.com

Cell multiplication goes along with the development of the human body. Once the complete development is achieved, this process stops. By then, new cells are only created as the need for them arises. But if this process continues at an abnormal rate, cancer is likely to develop. This cancer cells will invade neighboring tissues. If this condition happens in the intestinal lining, a disease termed as colorectal cancer begins, betterly known as colon cancer. Colorectal cancers normally start as benign polyps that soon develop into cancers.

Fortunately, colon cancer is easily detected and has great potentials for removal if diagnosed at an early stage. Surgical treatments can be enforced even until the cancer spreads to the lymph nodes. And the success of undergoing chemotherapy to cure the colon cancer is impressive. Though this is true, the fact that colon cancer stands as the second most prevalent cancer remains to be the cause of higher death rates among cancer victims. The earlier estimate for the survival rate of a colon cancer victim is around ninety percent and higher. But this figure radically changed after the year 2004.

People with greater risks of developing the colon cancer

Western societies are more prone to the dangers brought about by the colon cancer. The reason pointed out for this condition is that Western people have diets lacking in the necessary nutrients needed by the body and the healthy foods that are normally eaten in other parts of the world. Diets in highly industrialized sections of the West are much worse. Foods typically come short with the components found in fruits, vegetables and proteins.

Additionally, smokers who regularly smoke around 20 cigarettes or more on a daily basis are found to have 250% possibility of developing the colon cancer. Drinkers have 87% more chance of acquiring the disease as opposed with nondrinkers. And if these two ill practices are combined then the likelihood of developing polyps rises to 400%.

Men are found to have greater risks in developing colon cancer than that of the female population. Colored women, mainly black, have greater likelihood of developing the disease. And drinkers, smokers, obese and sedentary individual have potential risks for polyps growth.

Sadly, colon cancer is hereditary. If a person in the family is found to carry the condition, then the first-degree relatives may have colon polyps as well.

Prevention

There are strong evidences that high calcium contents in a person’s body reduce the risk against the colon cancer. Again, another good sources of prevention against the disease are the vegetables. The phytochemicals found in certain vegetables are noted to have great effects against the development of the polyps. Daily exercises also go a long way in controlling the risk for the cancer.

Aspirin is known to reduce the potentiality of the growth of the colon polyps and the colon cancers as well as the cancer of the esophagus and the stomach. A regular 325 mg of daily aspirin intake may be sufficient to outbalance a person’s risk. Though it must be noted that aspirin may cause intestinal bleeding and ulcer. Lower incidence of colon cancer is also attributed to the daily consumption of 1500 mg of Calcium.

The future of the colon cancer is yet to be defined. Yet the current trend of developing the disease is not yet as aggravated as with other deadly diseases and luckily enough, there are great improvements towards earlier diagnosis of the condition. Like with the majority of health condition, the rule of thumb continues to be- stay healthy and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides colon cancer resources on http://www.about-colon-cancer.info.