Here's what you need to know about colon cancer
Over the past few weeks, colon cancer has been in the forefront of the public's consciousness as legendary Original Pilipino Music (OPM) artist Hajji Alejandro has been confirmed to be recovering from Stage 4 colon cancer.
In an interview on broadcaster Julius Babao's YouTube channel uploaded yesterday, March 20, Hajji's girlfriend of 27 years, Alynna Velasquez II, said the diagnosis came after a show where the singer felt bloated and could not “breathe, eat, or do anything.” A CT scan was performed after the show and according to Alynna, Hajji has now been operated on and is expected to undergo therapy.
But what exactly is colon cancer, what causes it, and how is it treated? Check out some basic facts you need to know below.
What is colon cancer?
As explained in the American Cancer Society's website, colon cancer is cancer that starts in the colon. It is often grouped with cancer that starts in the rectum because of the similarities in their features. Colon cancer usually begins as polyps, or growths in the inner lining of the colon or rectum.
While most polyps are benign, adenomatous polyps, sessile serrated polyps, and traditional serrated adenomas are more likely to become cancerous. Factors that can make a polyp more likely to contain cancer include size, number, and histology. A polyp larger than 1 centimeter, or the presence of more than three polyps, as well as the presence of dysplasia, can increase someone's risk of developing colon cancer.
What are the symptoms of colon cancer?
The Cleveland Clinic lists the following as symptoms of colon cancer: the presence of blood in someone's stool, persistent changes in one's bowel habits, abdominal pain, bloated stomach, unexplained weight loss, vomiting, as well as fatigue and shortness of breath.
What causes colon cancer?
Just like other types of cancer, colon cancer is caused by cancer cells. And just like other types of cancer, researchers still do not know why cells become cancerous but they do know that there are risk factors that increase the likeliness of one developing cancer.
Lifestyle choices that increase the risk of one developing cancer include smoking, excessive alcohol use, obesity, a diet that includes a lot of red meat and processed meat, and a lack of physical activity.
Medical conditions that are risk factors for colon cancer include inflammatory bowel disease, inherited conditions, a family history of cancer, and a family history of polyps.
How does one prevent colon cancer?
The Mayo Clinic recommends lifestyle choices to lower the risk of developing colon cancer. This includes eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; drinking in moderation and stopping smoking as well as exercising and maintaining a healthy weight.
What is the treatment for colon cancer?
There are different ways to treat colon cancer according to the Cleveland Clnic. These include a polypectomy or the removal of cancerous polyps, a partial colectomy or colon resection surgery, a surgical resection with colostomy, and radiofrequency ablation or using heat to destroy cancer cells.
Other treatments include chemotherapy to shrink tumors and targeted therapy or monoclonal antibody therapy that uses lab-created antibodies that target cancer cells.
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