7. Colon Cancer

Colon Cancer-  Shocking Facts

Did you know that colon cancer is the third most common cancer

diagnosed in the United States?

The American Cancer Society’s estimates for the number of

Colorectal cancer cases in the United States for 2013 are:

102,480 new cases of colon cancer
40,340 new cases of rectal cancer
Unfortunately, this is a major problem many people are facing.

So, there is a need to have some knowledge and understanding about this.

Colorectal cancer, as the name suggests, affects the colon or the rectum. They are

considered together because they have many common features. However,

treatment for each type is different.

Colorectal cancer originates in the digestive system. Medical jargon will call this

Gastro Intestinal (GI) system. As everyone is aware, the food we eat is processed in

the digestive system, which converts into energy and pushes out the waste.

Understanding the structure and working of the digestive system will help in

understanding Colorectal Cancer better.

Food pulped and softened by chewing moves to the stomach. It is further broken

down and pushed into the small intestine. Though called small because of its

diameter, the small intestine is twenty feet long and it is in fact the longest part of

the digestive system. The food is further broken down in the small intestine, which

also absorbs most of the nutrients before sending the food, or whatever left of it to

the large intestine, also known as large bowel or colon. This is a muscular tube

about 5 feet long.

The colon absorbs water and nutrients. The solid waste is stored here till it moves

to the rectum. The rectum, about 6 inches long, is the final part of the digestive

system. The waste is pushed out of the body from the rectum through the anus.

Knowing how sensitive the colon and rectum are and how important is their role

in maintaining the digestive system, we can understand how severely will

Colorectal cancer affect the body.