Colorectal cancer is a disease due to the cancerous growth found in the large bowel, the end portion of the digestive tract which holds the undigested food that is waiting to be eliminated. The colon is about 5 to 6 feet long and 2.5 inches in diameter. The rectum is the last 6 to 8 inches of the colon which ends at the anus.Colorectal cancer is also known as colon or rectal cancer because it is a cancer that is found in either the colon or the rectum.

Excluding skin cancer, colorectal cancer is the third commonest cancer diagnosed in the United States. Each year over 100,000 Americans are diagnosed with colon cancer and over 50 percent of these patients will die from colorectal cancer.

If you have symptoms such as persistent stomach cramps, rectal bleeding or sudden change in bowel habits - see your doctor very soon. Risk factors for colorectal cancer are higher for people who have already had colorectal cancer or polyps, or for those who have inflammatory bowel disease like an ulcerative colitis.

Do not ignore stomach cramps. One other method of detecting colorectal cancer is by paying attention to your abdomen. Stomach cramps and stomach irritation are indications that your bowels have something to communicate.

To get an understanding of what colorectal cancer is you should first know what cancer is in the first place. Regardless of the type, in general, cancer is a group of diseases in which there is abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells in the body.

Prevention : Some evidence suggests that low-fat and high-fiber diets may reduce your risk of colon cancer. Preventive Services Task Force recommends against taking aspirin or other anti-inflammatory medicines to prevent colon cancer if you have an average risk of the disease -- even if someone in your family has had the condition.

Stick with whole foods, including lots of vegetables, fresh fruit, whole grains and other fiber rich foods, unprocessed oils, like extra virgin olive oil, lean meats (mostly fish and chicken, but an occasional T-bone won't hurt), low fat dairy and plenty of pure water.

Vitamin D and calcium may decrease the risk of colorectal cancer, and the risk of death following a diagnosis of colorectal cancer, are still being studied, there is already intriguing data showing that Vitamin D supplementation can "up-regulate" the activity of genes in both premalignant and malignant colon.

The Ayurvedic treatment of colorectal cancer is aimed at treating the main cancer, preventing or reducing its spread to other parts of the body and improving overall survival. Medicines used in this condition are: Arogya-Vardhini, Kanchnaar-Guggulu, Yograj-Guggulu, Triphala-Guggu.

Radiation therapy uses high energy rays for killing cancer cells. In fact, it affects the cancer cells lying only in the affected area. Two types of radiation therapies, namely the internal radiation and external radiation, are used for treating colorectal cancer.

The most common treatment of colorectal cancer is surgery. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are also popular treatments but they are advised according to the stage of the disease. Surgeries can also be classified in to various types, namely curative, bypass, palliative, open and close and fecal diversion.