Teddy Pendergrass Loses Battle with Deadly Colon Cancer

R&B music artist and songwriter Teddy Pendergrass lost his battle with colon cancer Wednesday at the age of 59. Pendergrass, a five-time Grammy nominee, was diagnosed with colon cancer last year and had undergone surgery, of which he had a "difficult recovery," according to his son, Teddy Pendergrass II.

According to the National Cancer Institute, Colon or colorectal cancer is the nations third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men. It is also the third most common cancer in white and African American women. Statistics show that 1 in 17 people in the United States will develop colorectal cancer.

What is Colon Cancer?

Colon cancer is a common cancer that occurs when some of our cells start multiplying uncontrollably and our natural defenses are unable to stop it. This cell growth forms a mass (or tumor) and usually starts with the growth of benign polyps. It is important to have any polyps removed as soon as possible before they become cancerous.

Once these polyps invade the intestinal wall, they can spread to the lymph nodes and be carried via the lymphatic system's special filtered fluid to other parts of the body.

Colorectal cancer is the term used when both the colon and rectum is involved.

Symptom's of Colon Cancer:

The symptom's of colon cancer are many and are non-specific. Symptom's of colon cancer include:

Fatigue and weakness
Shortness of breath
change in bowel habits
Narrow stools
Constipation or diarrhea
blood in stool, either red or dark
Bloating, cramps, abdominal cramps
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome, also known as Spastic Colon)
Crohn's Disease
Diverticulosis

How is Colon Cancer Diagnosed?

Colon cancer is diagnosed by having either a Lower GI Series or Colonoscopy performed.

Lower GI Series is a barium enema x-ray - a white chalky liquid that outlines the large intestine so that abnormalities, such as a tumor, can be seen on x-rays.

A Colonoscopy involves a long, flexible viewing tube being inserted into the rectum so that the entire colon can be viewed. The Colonoscopy procedure is considered to be more accurate than the Lower GI Series in the detection of small polyps. Polyps can usually be removed and sent to a pathologist immediately for examination.

What is the treatment of Colon Cancer?

Surgery to remove the tumor(s), small area of healthy bowel, and adjacent lymph nodes is the most common treatment of colon cancer.

Patients who have had early detection have a much better survival rate (about 80%) than those patients who have advanced stages of colon cancer. Once the tumor has penetrated the bowel wall, the five-year survival rate drops to less than 10%.

Even if surgery showed there was no spread, patients whose cancer penetrated deep into the colon wall and into the nearby lymph nodes may see a recurrence of cancerous tumor. Chemotherapy could delay and improve the chance of survival.

Preventative Measures:

A low-fat, high fiber diet will decrease your risk of colon cancer. Fiber helps give the stool bulk and helps move fecal material through the intestine faster, thus ridding the intestines of potential carcinogens and giving the carcinogens less time to react to the intestinal lining.

If you are over 40-years old, man or woman, your risk of colon cancer increases. You should have a digital rectal exam done every year to improve the chances of catching colon cancer or potential cancer causing polyps in the early stages.

A stool occult blood test (which literally means "hidden" blood) should also be done to test for even the smallest amount of blood in the stool. Keep in mind that testing positive for occult blood does not necessarily mean you have colon cancer and other tests will need to be performed. In the same token, testing negative for occult blood does not mean you do not have colon cancer. Usually, a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy will be performed to confirm or rule out colon cancer.

Remember, the best preventative measure is yearly check-ups. Early detection could save your life.

Sources:
MedicineNet.com
emedicinehealth
National Cancer Institute