According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), not counting some kinds of skin cancer, colorectal cancer, often referred to as colon cancer, is the fourth most common cancer in men and women. It is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States.
Key Words
- Colonoscopy – visual exam of the colon
- Colostomy – creation of an artificial opening into the colon
- CT colonography – radiographic imaging of the colon
- FIT – fecal immunochemical test,
- FIT-DNA – multitarget FIT test, also referred to as Cologuard
- FOBT – fecal (stool) occult bold test
- Ileostomy – creating an artificial opening into the ileum, a portion of the small intestine.
- Occult blood – hidden blood, not visible to the naked eye
- Polyp – tumor-like growth extending outward from a mucous membrane
- Polypectomy – excision of a polyp
- Sigmoidoscopy– visual exam of the sigmoid colon and rectum
What is it?
The colon is the large intestine or large bowel. The rectum is the passageway that connects the colon to the anus. Colorectal cancer (colon cancer) starts when cells in the colon or rectum start growing out of control. Sometimes, abnormal growths, called polyps, form in the colon or rectum and may turn into cancer. Polyps and colorectal cancers can bleed and cause occult blood in the stool.
Symptoms
Symptoms include:
- A change in bowel habits.
- Blood in or on stool (bowel movement).
- Diarrhea, constipation, or feeling that the bowel does not empty all the way.
- Abdominal pain, aches, or cramps that don’t go away.
- Weight loss, without cause.
Screening Tests
Stool-based Screening Tests
Stool-based tests use stool samples collected at home and sent to a lab for testing, which are used to check the stool for occult blood. Positive findings may indicate colon cancer or polyps in the colon or rectum — though not all cancers or polyps bleed, and visual-based screening, such as a colonoscopy, may be recommended for further study.
Two types of stool-based screening tests are:
- Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT), also called gFOBT, uses the chemical guaiac to check for occult blood in the stool.
- The Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) uses antibodies to detect blood in the stool. It only detects human blood from the large intestine, so medicine or food does not interfere with the test. FIT-DNA is a type of FIT that is often referred to as Cologuard. It is more accurate and has fewer false positives than FOBT.
Visual-based Screening Exams
Visual Exams are used to examine the colon and rectum for polyps and colorectal cancer. They are performed in a medical setting, preparation is required, and sedation may be ordered.
Three types of visual-based screening exams are:
- Colonoscopy is a visual exam of the colon rectum for diagnostic purposes. During this procedure, polyps can be removed.
- Colonography, a virtual colonoscopy, uses X-rays and computers to produce images of the entire colon. The doctor analyzes these images on a computer screen. Polyps or cancers cannot be removed during this procedure.
- Sigmoidoscopy is a visual exam of the rectum and sigmoid colon. It is like a colonoscopy, except a shorter tube is used to view the lower portion of the large intestines.
For more in-depth information about the advantages and disadvantages of each screening test, click HERE.
Treatment
- Polypectomy is the excision of a polyp, which doctors may remove during a colonoscopy for early-stage colon cancer.
- Colectomy: This procedure involves partial or total removal of the colon. A stoma (opening on the abdomen) may be created to allow waste to leave the body (colostomy or ileostomy), and the stoma may be temporary or permanent.
To solve the Colorectal Cancer Crossword, click HERE.
Myrna LaFleur Brooks is the author of the medical terminology textbooks Exploring Medical Language and Basic Medical Language.
