Tag Archives: colon cancer

Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. It is a cancer that develops in the colon or rectum; more than ninety percent of all cases develop in people age fifty and older. Your risk of developing colorectal cancer increases as you age. If everyone age fifty and older had a regular colorectal cancer screening test (like a colonoscopy), more than one third of the deaths from colorectal cancer could be avoided! Both men and women are at risk for this kind of cancer. As soon as possible after your fiftieth birthday, you should … Continue reading →

Colonoscopy

Do you know what (and where) your colon is? Also known as your large bowel, the colon is the end section of your digestive tract. It is a hollow tube that connects the end of the small intestine to the rectum. Your colon is around five feet long, and is used to store waste and absorb water before the waste is eliminated as stool. A colonoscopy gives your doctor or gastroenterologist a chance to look inside your large bowel. The doctor will check for inflammation, ulcers and lesions, and abnormal growths. This test is most often used to check for … Continue reading →

Curry May Cut Colon Cancer

Do you love a good curry? It may be good for your colon, and not just your taste buds! Curry includes a spice called turmeric, which gets its yellow pigment from a chemical called curcumin. A recent small clinical trial looked at certain food chemicals — like curcumin — and their ability to fight precancerous growths in the digestive tract. These growths (or polyps) can lead to colon cancer, if left untreated. The people in the trial had an inherited genetic condition that leads to the growth of these polyps in the intestines. Due to this rare inherited condition, precancerous … Continue reading →