Colorectal cancer – Signs, symptoms & treatment options:
One of the most fatal diseases, cancer, carries a huge sense of trauma. When you first hear you have cancer, you feel like your whole world is falling apart, and brings up a wide range of emotions. Just as cancer affects our physical health, it also gives us a feeling that our life is out of control. Among all types of cancers, Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women each year worldwide, according to GLOBOCAN data. This case is steadily increasing day by day, especially in the developing countries that are following “Western” life. As one can understand, Colon cancer is cancer of the colon, and rectal cancer is the cancer in rectum. Together it is called Colorectal Cancer. These types of cancer affect both men and women equally, and people of all races and nationality. In most cases Colorectal Cancer grows slowly over many years. Mostly it happens with no risk factors.
Colorectal disease is considered as a silent disease as mostly it spreads with no symptoms. There is a traditional myth that every time someone is diagnosed with colon cancer, it has already spread in the body. But this is not true at all. In many cases, it has no symptoms but in some cases if it has, then the symptoms of this Cancer depend on the size and the location of the cancer. It requires a medical diagnosis. But some usual signs and symptoms are,
- Pain in the abdomen and cramping in lower stomach
- Blood in stool and narrow stools
- Constipation
- Change in bowel habits
- Passing excessive amounts of gas or bloating, feeling full.
- Anaemia, fatigue & weakness
- Abdominal discomfort and tenderness in lower abdomen
- Weight loss without any change in food habit
- Change in appetite
This Cancer often occurs in people older than 50 years. Lack of regular physical activity, consuming fast food, processed food, a low-fibre and high-fat diet, lack of eating enough vegetables and eating highly processed meats are some reasons for this Cancer. The following diet can lower the risk of the disease:
- Plenty of fruits
- Having enough non-starchy vegetables
- White meat
- Fresh Fish, that contains omega-3 fatty acids
- Whole grains etc
This question often arises, is colon cancer permanently treatable? The answer is yes, when it is detected early. Colon Cancer is a highly treatable and often curable disease when localized to the bowel. This type of cancer is typically observed in older adults, but nowadays it’s often seen in young people also. Which treatments are most likely to help you depends on your particular situation, including the location of your cancer, its stage and your other health concerns. If colon cancer develops, many treatments are available to control it, including radiation therapy and drug treatments, such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy. In many cases the treatment for this cancer involves surgery to remove the cancer. Even stage three cancers as well can be cured with surgery.
In the end, even if we cannot prevent all the diseases, you at least can keep a healthy balanced lifestyle to lower the risk. Studies and research papers show that proper nutrition, limiting alcohol consumption, avoiding tobacco, regular exercise, and keeping a healthy weight can help reduce the risk for all types of cancer including colorectal cancer. With on-time screening and timely evaluation of symptoms, colorectal cancer is treatable, preventable and beatable. If you still have any queries, if you are experiencing any symptom, or for just regular screening you can come to the V Care Cancer Centre. Our cancer experts are here to guide you for the disease and to give you advice that you need. Here you can have solutions for all types of cancer under the same roof, so feel free to contact us without any hesitation.
