Breast Cancer Chemotherapy | Chemotherapy for Colon Cancer

Colon cancer usually starts as small growths on the inside of the colon called polyps. It takes several years that these polyps to grow large enough to be seen during a routine colonoscopy and then it takes several more years for those polyps to become cancerous.

The reason for colon cancer is unknown, but there are several risk factors that can increase the chances of developing this cancer. Some risk factors, such as age, cannot be changed while others, such as diet, can be modified and reduce the risk. The risk factors for colon cancer range from age to hereditary diseases.
The common risk factor for colon cancer is the age. Approximately 90% of all colon cancer cases are found in people aged 50 and above. Many of these cases have no other risk factors, making this the most important factor in developing this cancer. This is why many doctors suggest getting a colonoscopy as part of the annual medical exam starting at age 50.

Another risk factor for developing colon cancer is the family’s medical history and any hereditary diseases that may affect the development of colon polyps. If a member of your immediate family (parents, siblings, or children) has had colon cancer, you are more likely to develop it. The risk depends upon how many relatives have had it, how old they were when they were diagnosed and if the history spans multiple generations. This is referred to as a strong family history of colon cancer and may be caused by genetic mutations. If this is the case, then blood test to be conducted for any genetic mutations.

These genetic changes can cause several conditions, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis (AFAP) and hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC). All of these genetic conditions can develop into colon cancer, if left untreated. These conditions are rare and few of the people diagnosed with colon cancer actually have them.
The medical history of a family also contributes to risk of developing colon cancer. There are also certain diseases that can increase the risk of colon cancer, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

The other risk factors are diet, exercise and habits. A high fat, high calorie and high protein diet has been shown to increase the chances of developing colon cancer. This type of diet may also contribute to another risk factor, weight. Lack of exercise also contributes to the risk. These risk factors can be minimized by making some simple changes such as eating more fruits and vegetables and beginning exercise. These two changes will help you lose weight and improve the diet. Smoking and drinking also contribute to colon cancer risk. Some studies have shown that smoking increases the chance of developing colon cancer. Alcoholics are also at an increased risk for colon cancer because of their alcohol consumption. Drinking more than 2 drinks a day increases the risk of colon cancer.