what is called colon cancer

Colon cancer, too called colorectal cancer or large bowel cancer, includes cancerous growths in the colon, rectum and appendix. It is the third most common form of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in Western world. Colon cancer causes 655,000 deaths worldwide per year, including about 16,000 in the UK, where it is the second most common site (after lung) to cause cancer death. Many of the colorectal cancers are thought to arise from adenomatous polyps in the colon. These mushroom-like growths are usually benign, but some might develop into cancer over time. The majority time, the diagnosis of localized colon cancer is through colonoscopy. Therapy is through surgery, which in many cases is usually followed by chemotherapy.

Colorectal cancer often causes no symptoms until it has reached a relatively advanced stage. Thus, many organizations recommend periodic screening for the disease with both fecal occult blood testing and colonoscopy. When symptoms do occur, they depend on the lesion. Generally speaking, the nearer the lesion is to the anus, the more bowel symptoms there would be.

Especially in the cases of cancer in the ascending colon, sometimes only the less specific constitutional symptoms would be found.