Tumors of the Colon - Rectum

Generality

Colon cancer, or colon cancer, is the malignant neoplasm of the large intestine, resulting from the uncontrolled proliferation of one of the cells making up the colorectal tract.

The precise causes of colon cancer are unclear; however, the doctors agree that the following certainly affect the development of the neoplasm in question: an unhealthy diet, cigarette smoking, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, some hereditary diseases, a certain family predisposition, the presence of intestinal polyps and inflammatory bowel diseases.
Typical of old age, colon cancer is generally responsible for symptoms such as: changes in bowel habits, rectal bleeding, blood in the stool, anemia, abdominal pain, abdominal cramps, feelings of bowel failure after defecation, etc.
An accurate diagnosis of colon cancer requires several investigations; a fundamental diagnostic test is colonoscopy.
The possible treatments of colon cancer include: surgical therapy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and the so-called "targeted therapy".