Prevent Colon Cancer with Early Testing

Colon cancer usually starts within your large intestine and also in the rectum. There are also other forms of colon cancer such as: melonoma, lymphoma and sarcomas, but these types of colon cancer are very rare. According to the ACS or "American Cancer Society", colon cancer is amongst the leading causes of death due to cancer in the United States. Facts have shown that early detection of colon cancer can almost always be fully treatable. If your getting up there in age or even if your fairly young, it is highly recommended that you get tested with your doctor to help prevent the spread of colon cancer if you indeed have the early signs of it.

Many Americans usually will not know they have it until they are tested. If you ever start getting symptoms such as: diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, or even unexplained weight loss, then you should immediately schedule an appointment with your doctor to receive an colonoscopy. There can be several factors that can contribute to colon cancer and one of the most common factors would be family history with colon cancer.

If you have had several members in your family that have had colon cancer or treated for colon cancer, then you should make sure to talk to your doctor to get tested for colon cancer. Other factors involve Crohn's disease and if you have had cancer any where else in your body. So if you have had previous cancer and/or treatment for it, then you should check with your doctor to get tested for colon cancer just to be safe. If you haven't been having any symptoms associated with colon cancer then you might never know if you have it or not so it's a good idea to check with your doctor about getting a test done just to be safe.

If colon cancer is found early enough, treatment is available and normally can be fully treatable. Some treatment types include: chemotherapy medicines, surgery to remove the cancerous cells and radiation treatment. With the technology used in today's medical field, the death rate from colon cancer has declined dramatically in the past 15 years. It is recommended that men and women 50 years old and up get tested for colon cancer. The procedure is painless and most the time your asleep during the procedure. It has also been said that a low fat diet that's high in fiber can also reduce your chances of getting colon cancer.

If you have had family members that have had colon cancer or have been treated for colon cancer, you should check with your doctor so you can be tested as well. Remember, if you get tested early enough, it can be treatable but if you wait too long and then you find out you have colon cancer then it is too late. It is also recommended to get tested if you are over the age of 50 but it can never hurt to be tested even if you are 25 to 30 years old just to be safe. The earlier the detection, the more probable that it will be curable.