Colon+Cancer

**__Colon Cancer__ ** By: Kate Rodriguez and Karli Paracca This diagram shows the five stages of Colon Cancer. The smallest sist is of stage 0 and the largest one is of stage IV. This shows you how deadly this disease is and how quickly it can spread to other parts of your colon.

Introduction: ~ The colon is located in your lower stomach. ~ There are five stages of colon cancer. ~ A colonoscopy may not fully protect you. ~ Some types of colon cancer are genetic while others are because of obesity, eating fatty foods, or overusing drugs and alcohol.

Warning Signs: ~ Some common signs of Colon Cancer that you may want to be aware of are: ~ Losing weight while keeping a well balanced diet. ~ Frequent cramps, bloating, fullness, or being constantly tired are also signs of Colon Cancer. ~ When you feel like you need to empty your bowels often. ~ When blood is in your waste and when your waste is different in size then it normally is. (more narrow) ~ Feeling hurtful gas pains in your stomach.

Cancer Risks: ~ White males with an average age of 64 are mostly at risk. ~ Polyps can be removed from a Colonoscopy although they are not 100% accurate. ~ Non-Polyp growths are more rare than polyp growths, but are up to 5 times more cancer causing. ~ People who have polyps removed are still at risk to get as many as 10 growths. ~ Crohn's Disease may lead to Colon Cancer. ~ Crohn's Disease is the inflamation of the digestive tract which is also often called the gastrointestinal tract.

Cancer Stages: ~ Stage 0 is the innermost layer of your colon and is the least dangerous type of Colon Cancer. ~ Stage I is on the inner layers of your colon. A type of surgery called Resection is optional for stage I of colon cancer. 95% of people who have stage I Colon Cancer will live. ~ Stage II occurs through the muscle wall of your colon. Resection Surgery can also be an option for this stage. 60% of these people will live. ~ Stage III happens when the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. The possible treatments for this stage would be Resection Sugrey and also Chemotherapy. An average of 35%-60% of these people survive. ~ Stage IV is the most deadly part and by this point and has spread to other organs of your body. Radiation, removal of your colon, and Chemotherapy are ways to help get rid of this cancer at this stage but only 3% will fight through this stage and live.

Cancer Treatment: ~ For Stage 0, cancer can be treated by removing the cancerous cells. ~ Stages I and II can be taken care of with surgery where it removes the part of the colon with the cancer. ~ For stage III, you should recieve Chemotherapy after your surgery. ~ During Stage IV, Chemotherapy is required and you should recieve helpful drugs like irinotecan, 5-fluorouracil, or oxapliplatin. ~ Burning the cancer (ablation), cutting out the cancer, freezing the cancer (cryotherapy), or delivering radiation directly on your colon are other meathods doctors use to treat Colon Cancer.

All in all, Colon Cancer is a very dangerous disease that in time if not treated properly, can spread throughout your entire body and the chances of you surviving this awful disease is very slim.

Works Sited Hobson, Katherine. "Colon Cancer."__Science News.__ Volume 146, Issue 1. 2009. Page 72. ---> Middle Search Plus. Web. 5 Nov. 2009.

Seppa, Nathan. "Cancer Risk."__Science News.__ Volume 173, Issue 10. 2008. Page 147. ---> Middle Search Plus. Web. 4 Nov. 2009

Saey,Tina Hesman. "Warning Signs."__Science News__.Volume 173, Issue 5.2008. Page 70. ---> Middle Search Plus. Web. 3 Nov. 2009