Cancer is something that nobody wants to face in their lifetime. The big "C" emits feelings of helplessness and fear in most people. Of all cancers, colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer in men and the fourth in women. If you notice in the above statement, colon cancer is said to be a leading "cause" of cancer. The truth is that cancer of the colon, commonly called colorectal cancer, has a fairly high cure rate when treated aggressively in the early stages.It is important to know some information about this type of cancer in order to avoid it.The colon is the lowest part of the large intestine where solid waste is stored. The rectum (anus) is the end of the colon and is where this solid waste is eliminated from the body.  Tumors sometimes arise along the inner wall of the large intestine. Benign (harmless) tumors are called polyps while malignant (cancerous) tumors are called cancers.The exact causes of colon cancer are not completely known but are known to be related to high fat in the diet, hereditary occurrences of colon cancer and a chronic condition known as ulcerative colitis. This last inflames the inside walls of the large intestine and colon and thus increases the possibility of a colon cancer occurring.Knowing these facts about colorectal cancer will help you in preventing the disease from affecting you. Colon cancer prevention is very easy and virtually painless.
Since the presence of high fat content is known to be a factor in colon cancer, you can take a big step towards prevention by watching the fat intake.Start eating low fat foods, foods high in fiber and grain or vegetables. The fat content in high fat foods is thought to form cancer causing materials called carcinogens in the intestines and colon, so dietary monitoring is an important prevention tool.The main factor in preventing colorectal cancer from occurring is simply early detection. Unfortunately, colon cancer tends to go undetected until they are well advanced. The best way to detect a cancer of this type is by having an annual physical that includes a colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is the most effective tool to detect colon cancer in its early stages, thus having a high success rate.Polyps that can cause the cancer will be detected and removed during the procedure. Your physician can distinguish a benign polyp from a malignant one immediately. The removal of polyps greatly decreases the occurrence of a cancer.If your physician does find a malignant tumor during the test, he will tell you and even then, surgery can be done to remove the tumor completely. The cure rate is high in these cases as well as the survival rate.A yearly physical with a colonoscopy is your best prevention tool next to watching the fat intake in your diet. Combined, these two practices will lower your chances of having a colon cancer and extending your life.Men over the age of 50 and women over 55 should have this test on an annual basis to detect colon cancer early.