Colon (colorectal)
cancer, often called the "silent killer" ranks as the second leading cause of
cancer death
in the United States.
Colon cancer
affects both men and women about equally and kills more people annually than either breast cancer or prostate
cancer.
Too few people taking an
active role in monitoring their own health to prevent this disease
because ofneglect, lack of awareness, lack of media attention,
embarrassment and the "yuck" factor.
No one has to
die from colon cancer.
With over a 90 percent cure rate caught early enough, colon cancer is
preventable and treatable.
Only 37% of colorectal cancers are
detected at an early stage, when most treatable.1
At least 60% of the 80 million
Americans over the age of 50 have never been screened.2
30,000 lives could be saved annually
if colorectal cancers were detected at an early stage.3
Colon cancer deaths could be nearly eliminated if most people
learn the
basics, talk to their family and physicians about it, and take
action to prevent it. Unfortunately, as recent government surveys and
studies show, less than 40% of people who should be screened have been
screened. Respondents age 50 and over to a recent survey said only 51% of
their doctors discussed colon cancer screening with them.
Prevention of colon cancer and other digestive disorders starts with
you. It requires that you take an active role in your own health. That
means know the basics: 1) the early warning signs and
symptoms of colon cancer, 2) whether you have a family history of
cancer requiring earlier screening measures than the average population,
3) the different screening methods available, and 4) the best
screening tests to use. It also requires that you engage in: 1) a
regular regimen of screening, and 2) an educated and active dialog with
your health care provider so they can provide the best available
preventative care.
Healthy eating habits and lifestyle
can be useful prevention measures, but scientific evidence clearly
weighs in favor of a regular regimen of screening as the best and most
reliable form of colon cancer prevention. The goal of screening is to
detect and remove pre-cancerous polyps - the source of nearly all colon
cancers. A simple screening regimen, regularly used, can literally mean
the difference between life or death.
Although colon cancer can strike with
no warning signs, one of the most frequent and commonly the only early
warning sign is blood in stool from bleeding polyps. Too often this
sign is either not noticed because the blood is not visible to the human
eye or not acted upon.
A healthy, normal individual does not bleed internally. If you do
bleed internally, resulting in either occult (hidden) or visible traces of
blood in stool, this can be a sign of colon cancer or other digestive
health problem that requires immediate medical attention.
“Overall, about 1.5 billion people have roundworms,
making it the third most common human infection in the world. Whipworm
infects 1 billion people… More than 1.3 billion people carry hookworm in
their gut, and 265 million people are infected with schistosomes.”(10)
United Nations data.
The rate of parasitic-related disorders in North America is skyrocketing. An
astounding number of people would test positive for parasites. “Pinworm. An extremely common nematode infection,
particularly in temperate areas such as Western Europe and North America… It
has been estimated that the annual incidence of infection is over 200
million, this probably being a conservative figure. Samples of caucasian
children in the USA and Canada have shown incidences of infection of 30% to
80%, with similar levels in Europe.” Parasitology Department of the
University of Cambridge, England.
Humans can actually play host to more than a hundred different types of
parasites, ranging from microscopic ones to tapeworms that are several feet
long. Contrary to popular belief, parasites are not restricted to our colon
alone, but can be found in any other part of the body - in the lungs, the
liver, in the muscles and joints, in the esophagus, the brain, the blood,
the skin and even in the eyes!
“Parasites are the missing diagnosis in the genesis of
many chronic health problems, including diseases of the gastrointestinal
tract and endocrine system. Most individuals would be truly amazed if they
knew the extraordinarily high number of Americans who are unknowingly
infected by parasites." Dr. Hermann R. Bueno, Fellow of Royal
Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene of London
Researchers
believe that the bacterium H. pylori is responsible for the majority
of ulcers of the stomach and duodenum.
One in 10 Americans
develops an ulcer at some time in his or her life.
H. pylori infection is common in the United States: About 20 percent
of people under 40 years old and half of those over 60 have it.
Researchers are not certain how people contract H. pylori, but they
think it may be through food or water.
An ulcer is a sore on the lining of
the stomach or duodenum, which is the beginning of the small intestine.
Peptic ulcers are common: One cause of peptic ulcer is bacterial infection, but
some ulcers are caused by long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
agents (NSAIDs), like aspirin and ibuprofen. In a few cases, cancerous
tumors in the stomach or pancreas can cause ulcers. Peptic ulcers are not
caused by spicy food or stress.
Most
infected people, however, do not develop ulcers. Why H. pylori does
not cause ulcers in every infected person is not known. Most likely,
infection depends on characteristics of the infected person, the type of
H. pylori, and other factors yet to be discovered.
Researchers have found H. pylori in some infected people's saliva, so
the bacteria may also spread through mouth-to-mouth contact such as kissing.
H. pylori weakens the protective mucous coating of the stomach and
duodenum, which allows acid to get through to the sensitive lining beneath.
Both the acid and the bacteria irritate the lining and cause a sore, or
ulcer.
H. pylori is able to survive in stomach acid because it secretes
enzymes that neutralize the acid. This mechanism allows H. pylori to
make its way to the "safe" area--the protective mucous lining. Once there,
the bacterium's spiral shape helps it burrow through the lining. H.
pylori is diagnosed through blood, breath, stool, and tissue tests.
Blood tests are most common. They detect antibodies to H. pylori
bacteria. Blood is taken at the doctor's office through a finger stick.
Urea breath tests are mainly used after treatment to see whether it worked,
but they can be used in diagnosis too. In the doctor's office, the patient
drinks a urea solution that contains a special carbon atom. If H. pylori
is present, it breaks down the urea, releasing the carbon. The blood carries
the carbon to the lungs, where the patient exhales it. The breath test is 96
percent to 98 percent accurate.
Stool
tests may be used to detect H. pylori infection in the patient's
fecal matter. Studies have shown that the test, called the Helicobacter
pylori stool antigen (HpSA) test, is accurate for diagnosing H.
pylori.
The information provided on this site is
for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for
advice from your physician or other health care professional or any
information contained on or in any product label or packaging. You
should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment
of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other
treatment. You should consult with a healthcare professional before
starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking
any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health
problem. You should not stop taking any medication without first
consulting your physician.
Affiliate - Cleveland
Clinic & University Hospital Network
