Irritable Bowel Syndrome Relief

Another helpful technique in diagnosing colon cancer is the stool-guaiac test or occult stool blood test which helps the doctor detect blood in your stool that is invisible to the naked eye. You should have one annually after the age of 50.

The results of this test will determine whether you need other screening procedures for colon cancer such as proctosigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy. What are these tongue-twisters?

In the former, the doctor uses a flexible, lighted tube called a proctosigmoidoscope to examine the lower portion of the colon and rectum - the area where cancers are usually found. This should be done initially at the age of 45 and every other year thereafter depending on your condition. For those with a family history of the disease, more frequent tests are required.

“Almost 50 percent of all colorectal cancer or polyps can be seen during such an examination. In addition, diagnosis of other diseases such as Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis can be made with this instrument. Samples of tissue can be taken through the instrument for later examination under a microscope (biopsy),” said Dr. David E. Larson, editor-in-chief of the “Mayo Clinic Family Health Book.”

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Colorectal cancer - commonly known as colon cancer, or bowel cancer - is any cancer that affects the last section of the digestive system. This usually means the colon (large bowel) or rectum (back passage).
Colon cancer is caused by the abnormal growth of cells in the lining of the bowel. Usually small lumps called polyps begin to form.
Commonly these lumps are referred to as tumours.

What does colorectal mean?
Colorectal is a word which means ‘the colon and rectum’. The colon and rectum are parts of the gut (gastrointestinal tract). The gut starts at the mouth and ends at the anus. When we eat or drink the food and liquid travel down the oesophagus (gullet) into the stomach. The stomach churns up the food and then passes it into the small intestine
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Incidence and mortality
There are more than 12,500 new cases each year. The risk of being diagnosed by age 85 is 1 in 10 for men and 1 in 15 for women. More than 4372 people die of colorectal cancer each year.

Interventions to alleviate the impact of colorectal cancer
Psychological distress is common in patients with all forms of cancer and usually remains undetected.42 Diagnosis is difficult because the symptoms of depression, anxiety, effects of treatment, and the cancer itself, overlap. Furthermore, differentiating depression from profound sadness and from demoralisation is not easy. Core features of depression include: persisting negative thoughts about self and the future, inability to take pleasure from day to day activities and a wish to self-harm. Biological features such as insomnia are commonly due to the cancer itself and its treatment

Risk Factors For Colorectal Cancer
· Age: the older you are, the more likely you are to develop CRC. Most of those diagnosed are 70 years or older.
· Heredity: you are more likely to get CRC if someone in your family, especially your immediate family, has been diagnosed with it.
· Diet: a diet high in red meat and low in fruits and vegetables may increase your risk.

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