What do I need to know about colon cancer?
The colon and the rectum are part of the body's digestive system.
They make up the large intestine.
The first part of the large intestine is called the colon and the last part is called the rectum.
Most people who get colon and rectal cancer are more than 50 years old. But colon cancer can occur at any age. Some groups are more likely than other groups to die of colon and rectal cancer.
African Americans are more likely to die of colon cancer than any other racial or ethnic group. About 56,730 people in the United States will probably die from colon and rectal cancer in the year 2004.
What can you do?
- Talk to your doctor about your risk factors.
- Ask your doctor when you should begin checking for colon and rectal cancer.
Screening tests, which are tests that can find cancer early before any signs, can help detect growths in the colon.
Your doctor can remove these growths before they turn into cancer. Screening can find colon and rectal cancer early when treatment can work best. - Spread the word about colon and rectal cancer--help yourself and others stay healthy.
Do you want to know more about colon and rectal cancer?
Click on a Web site below:
- Colon and Rectal Cancer (National Cancer Institute)
- Colorectal Cancer: Screening Fact Sheets (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Helping Yourself During Chemotherapy (National Cancer Institute)
- Colorectal Cancer (NIHSeniorHealth, U.S. National Library of Medicine) Note: This is a talking Web site. Click the "Turn Speech On" button at the top of the page to hear the text read aloud. On any page, click the content to hear the information.