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Basic Cancer Knowledge
First cancer were found in Egyptian and pre columbian mumies about 5,000 to 2,400 years ago. They were documented in ancient medical writing, written in papyrus 3,500 years ago. Nowadays, the reason behind cancer still not clearly understood. Scientist believe that cancer is the cell which grow rapidly than normal, assume abnormal shapes and sizes.
Cancer Worldwide Affects! And The Natural Treatments
There was a movie in the 1990's called 'The Medicine Man', where a scientist discovers the cure for cancer; whilst it still continues to kill people, it is not always the death sentence it once was. Think about that for a moment; can you even imagine the impact this would have on our world if the suffering of so many people could be put to an end?
Can Cancer Be Prevented And Cured?
While the answer to the question regarding the cure for cancer remains not guaranteed even by the experts, there are still ways that this second deadliest disease can be prevented. After all, prevention is supposed to be better than the cure, right?
Over the past couple decades, colon cancer has really become quite a problem with more and more Americans. This could possibly be due to the baby boomer generation getting into the prime age group for this disease, or it could possibly be a dietary problem that has been an ever increasing issue for quite some time. Let's face it, Americans have horrible eating habits as a whole. I know because I was one of them.
At the ripe old age of 22 I began having terrible stomach cramps and a recurring issue of diarrhea and constipation. After a few weeks I began to become worried that I may have something more serious going on with me, so naturally I signed online and typed in my symptoms into the search box and lo and behold the symptoms I was having were the same as colon cancer!
I immediately set up an appointment with my physician and had all the preliminary tests done to make sure it wasn't some bug or underlying condition that could be cured with a pill. Once all tests were exhausted there was only one more thing to do before he could give me a diagnosis, that was to give me a colonoscopy.
Needless to say I was terrified. I was only 22 years old and just couldn't imagine having cancer at such a young age. I was debilitated by my fears and really couldn't focus on anything else until I knew for sure I was cancer free.
The point I'm getting at here is that the symptoms for colon cancer are the same for other non life threatening diseases such as IBS. My Doctor told me that irritable bowel syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning it was only diagnosed after everything else had been tested, including the colonoscopy.
Luckily, I was cancer free, but for every one person that's given an IBS diagnosis, there is 1 other that's given a cancer one in its place. If you have symptoms, get tested, it shouldn't be an option.
New research may link one of the species of bacteria that live in our digestive system to the development of colon cancer symptoms. Home to many species, some "good" and others "bad", our digestive system provides these microbes a place to live, and in return they help with digestion and training the body's immune system. In susceptible people, this otherwise harmless organism causes DNA changes that can be a precursor to cancer.
The organism, known to scientists as enterococcus faecalis, (or E. faecalis for short) lives quietly in the digestive system of most of us, and it's true that not everyone develops colon cancer. For reasons scientists have yet to understand, in some people the organism produces an oxygen molecule known as superoxide that cause changes in DNA and prompt some of the gene action tied to cancer.
The research, conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Oklahoma City, looked at how colon cells reacted in the lab to the bacteria in the "fermentation" state. All in all, 42 genes linked to key processes in body cells were altered by the presence of E. faecalis.
"We found that superoxide led to strong signaling in immune cells called macrophages - it also altered the way some cells in the gut grew and divided and even increased the productivity of genes which are associated with cancer." says professor Mark Huycke, the lead researcher.
Experts in the UK also agree that bacteria may be likely culprits in cancers of the colon. Dr. Barry Campbell of the University of Liverpool agrees that E. faecalis could be involved, but he also believes that there are other bacteria in the bowel that play a part in the cell changes that eventually bring on tumors. He insists, "There is not going to be only one culprit. Our own team is interested in a particular type of E. coli with this in mind. There are also many other factors which are involved, such as genetics and environment."
And while the experts figure out what may be the root of the problem, there are things that you can do, right now, to reduce your risk. Living a healthy lifestyle where you eat right, exercise, don't smoke or drink to excess are important first steps. Keeping your weight under control will not only reduce your colon cancer risk, it will have you looking better and feeling better too.
You'll also want to learn all you can about colon cancer if you have a close family member like a parent or sibling with this disease. If you are at increased risk, your doctor will likely advise you to have colon screening tests before the usual age of 50. Don't put these off, and report promptly any change in your bowel habits to your doctor. Waiting in fear does you no good... and may rob you of your chance to fight your disease.
You'll also want to limit your exposure to toxins and radiation. While it takes a lot of radiation to get to a level that might cause cancer, you want to have tests you need but try to avoid exposure to unnecessary radiation.
Each year colon cancer claims nearly 50,000 lives, with over 100,000 patients newly diagnosed with colon cancer symptoms. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy and vaccine therapy. Clinical trials are also ongoing and yielding promising new leads all the time.
Spotting Colon Cancer Symptoms is Not Only Accurate But a Whole Lot Faster
Colorectal cancer will take nearly 50,000 lives the year, and is our country's second largest killer. Screening is available, though there is a significant effort required in terms of preparation and the time needed to perform the test. For most people, the recommendation for your first colonoscopy is at age 50, though it may be sooner if you have risk factors for colon cancer or have noted any potential colon cancer symptoms.
If you've heard horror stories about colonoscopy, the test used today to screen for colon cancers, new technology may just save you from being someone who can tell them. There's a new x-ray alternative that's currently being studied by the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) National CT Colonography Trial and is showing itself to be effective at spotting most cancers.
The long anticipated study involved 15 medical centers across the U.S. and compared the accuracy of CT colonography to colonoscopy, the current gold standard of colon cancer diagnosis. The results of this study were published in the Sept. 18, 2008, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
A "virtual colonoscopy" (known technically as CT colonography) is a cheaper, less intrusive 'super' x-ray used for colon screening. The new test was able to pick up nine out of ten people who had large growths or cancers also detected by traditional colonoscopies. Of the false positives detected by the new type of scan, one in four turned out to be correct.
The new screening still involves some preparatory work i.e. cleaning the colon with laxatives or suppositories, just as you do today. You then go to a hospital radiology department to have the test, which takes about 10 minutes (compared to 30-60 minutes for colonoscopy). You lay first on your back and a thin tube is inserted into the rectum, air pumped in and then the table moved though the scanner, taking pictures all the time. You will then go through the scanner again, only this time lying on your stomach. After the two scans, a computer will process the images to create a picture of your lower digestive tract.
Unfortunately, radiologists can more easily misread the virtual colonoscopy. Polyps can be spotted that aren't there, which may lead to unneeded follow up treatment and the terrible anguish of the threat of a serious health problem. However, sometimes the testing picks up other conditions, outside the colon, that wouldn't have come to light that need to be addressed or investigated.
One other concern involves the amount of radiation you are exposed to during the test. The dose is half that of a standard CT scan, but experts worry about what this exposure means over time. Especially since this new test should be done every five years, as opposed to every ten years for traditional colon screening.
The new "virtual colonoscopy" seems to have the most value in getting people in for screening and identifying who may need further follow up. And early detection of colon cancer symptoms does save lives.
