Do you or someone you know just been diagnosed with colon cancer? Or, mayhap you have heard something in the news or have a family history. Learning of a new diagnosis or worrying about cancer can cause a lot of anxiety. Some points will help you get started on the wide range of information on the subject of colon cancer before you plunge into this article or into a decision about treatment. Please remember that several pertinent Web sites are listed at the end of the article and can be used to supplement the overview that follows.

While this article is generally directed to persons already diagnosed with colon cancer, it bears stating that one of the most important factors in preventing colon cancer and improving outcomes is colonoscopy for individuals over the age of 50. This important procedure allows the relatively painless and simple removal of precancerous lesions, and early diagnosis.

If a colon cancer appears it will start to distribute and attack other tissues and cells, and eventually it can reach the lungs or the liver and form new tumors there. The causes of colon cancer are not or entirely known, but what is known is that some people are at a higher risk of developing colon cancer than others. Anyone who consume large quantities of fats and those who had a history of colon cancer in the family are most likely to get colon cancer. Smoking and alcohol also increases the risks.

A large amount of epidemiologic and laboratory research suggests that environmental factors, such as diet, are important in the development of colon cancer. For example, colon cancer is less common where diets high in fiber and low in red meat are the norm. Colon cancer generally appears as patients get older, although people of any age – even children – can be diagnosed with colon cancer.

There are signs that may be heeded as to whether cancer of the colon or large intestine is appears or a fact that may lead to it, may be present in the body. In general, any persistent change in bowel habits should alert you. Diarrhoea that will not go away after about a week, despite the use of medications; tools that are narrower than usual, which can appear if a growth is blocking or narrowing any part of the colon or rectum are not sure variable of colon cancer, but may indicate a problem and the sooner you find out exactly what these changes mean, the better your chances will be in dealing with it.

The good thing is that mostly of the people survive colon cancer, as time passes the survival rate increases. Survival depends on which stage of colon cancer the patient has. If the cancer has reached the last stage then the chances are much lower because the cancer has already propagate to other distant organs of your body.