Colon Cancer Treatment

Colon Cancer Overview

Colon cancer is a colloquial term used to describe colorectal cancer, or bowel cancer. Colon cancer is caused due to abnormalities in the normal cells located in the lining of the colon. These malignant cells grow out of control, forming clusters called tumors.

he malign nature of the cells also means that they can potentially grow and spread out to distant parts of the body via infiltrating nearby organs, blood vessels or lymph vessels. Apart from the malignant tumors, there is one more kind of tumor, which can grow out of proportion, but not spread to other organs. Such cancerous tumors are called benign tumors.

Colon is part of the intestines which consists of the small intestine (the section between the stomach and the appendix) and the large intestine (from the appendix to the anus). The large intestine is divided into the long colon and a short rectum, just before the anus.

Two thirds of colorectal cancer, or bowel cancer occur in the colon and one third in the rectum, with very few cases of cancer originating in the small intestine.