When talking about colon cancer, most sources group it with rectal cancer, referring the two as colorectal cancer. They are usually grouped together because they are so similar and affect the same relative areas. The only real difference is where they originate, in the colon or in the rectum. Colon cancer can form anywhere in the colon (large intestine).

Cancer cells start with a growth in the lining of either the colon or rectum. These growths are known as polyps, however, not all polyps found in these areas are cancerous.

The most common form of colorectal cancer is referred to as adenocarcinomas. They make up about 96% of all colorectal cancers. This type of cancer starts in the cells that manufacture the mucus that lubricates the colon and rectum.

Symptoms of colorectal cancer includes:

• Any change in your stool that (diarrhea, constipation, narrowing of the stool) that lasts more than a few days
• Having the feeling you still need to have a bowel movement after having one.
• Rectal bleeding.
• Usually dark stools often indicate blood in the stool. Sometimes the blood in the stool is more visible.
• Regular abdominal pain and cramping.
• Feeling weak and fatigued more than normal.
• Unexpected weight loss.

How common is it?

The risk of developing colorectal cancer during one’s lifetime is around 1 in 22 for men and 1 in 24 for women. Excluding skin cancer, colorectal cancer is the third more common form of cancer diagnosed in both men and women.

According to the American Cancer Society, there will be 97,220 new cases of colon cancer this year and 43,030 new cases of rectal cancer for a total of 140,250 NEW cases just this year. They also estimate that there will be 50,630 Americans die from colorectal cancer this year.

For years, it has been recommended that everyone begin colorectal cancer screening begin when you turn 50. If there is no family history, you may only need to be checked out once every 10 years, but if there is a family history or once a poly has been discovered, its recommended to be screened at least once every 5 years.

This past week, the American Cancer Society lowered the age at which they recommend everyone get screened for colorectal cancer from 50 to 45. They say the reason for lowering the age for screening is that colorectal cancer is being diagnosed in younger people than it used to be.

Dr. Richard Wender, chief cancer control officer for the American Cancer Society explained:

“People born in the 80s and 90s are at double the risk for developing cancer of the colon and four times the risk for developing cancer of the rectum compared to people born decades earlier like the 40s and 50s.”

“We’re actually seeing colorectal cancer developing in people in their teens, which is something that was extraordinarily rare in the past, and it’s all too common today.”

Screening for colorectal cancer has usually been done via a colonoscopy where the patient is given a substance to make sure the colon and rectum are empty and then a flexible scope with a camera is inserted into the rectum through the length of the colon. This often is an unpleasant and embarrassing procedure, but more and more doctors are turning to the fecal occult test, where you eat a specific diet for a few days and then once a day for three days, you dip a special test paper into the water in the toilet. After the three days, the tests are mailed in and the lab scans them for cancer cells. This is a more private and less humiliating procedure but it’s not as precise as a colonoscopy.

If you are 45 or over, you need to start being screened. The colorectal cancer is discovered the easier it is to cure.