What it means
Most colon cancers grow slowly from polyps over many years, which is why screening and removing polyps prevents many of them. Together with rectal cancer it is called colorectal cancer. Risk rises with age, family history, inflammatory bowel disease, smoking, heavy alcohol use, obesity and a diet high in red and processed meat. Treatment includes surgery, sometimes with a colostomykuh-LOS-tuh-meeA surgical opening that brings part of the colon through the belly wall, so stool leaves the body into a pouch.col/o colon-stomy surgical openingFull entry , chemotherapy and radiation.
For the nurse
Teach that adults at average risk should begin screening at age 45, and to report blood in the stool, a change in bowel habits or unexplained weight loss.
At a glance
| Spanish | cáncer de colon |
|---|---|
| Also written | colon-cancer |
Related terms
col/o
A word root that means colon, the large intestine.
screening test
A test given to people who have no symptoms, to find a disease or risk early.
polyp
A growth that sticks out from the lining of a hollow organ, such as the colon, nose or uterus.
oncology
The branch of medicine that deals with cancer.
adenoma
A tumor of gland tissue that is not cancer.