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Summary
The colon and rectum are part of the large intestine. Colorectal cancer occurs when tumors form in the lining of the large intestine. It is common in both men and women. The risk of developing colorectal cancer rises after age 50. You're also more likely to get it if you have colorectal polyps, a family history of colorectal cancer, ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, eat a diet high in fat, or smoke.
Symptoms of colorectal cancer include
- Diarrhea or constipation
- A feeling that your bowel does not empty completely
- Blood (either bright red or very dark) in your stool
- Stools that are narrower than usual
- Frequent gas pains or cramps, or feeling full or bloated
- Weight loss with no known reason
- Fatigue
- Nausea or vomiting
Because you may not have symptoms at first, it's important to have screening tests. Everyone over 50 should get screened. Tests include colonoscopy and tests for blood in the stool. Treatments for colorectal cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination. Surgery can usually cure it when it is found early.
NIH: National Cancer Institute
Diagnosis and Tests
- Abdominal exploration - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
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Better Check Your Bowels: Screening for Colon and Rectal Cancer
(National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish
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Colonoscopy: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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Colorectal Cancer Screening
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Colorectal Cancer: What You Should Know (Food and Drug Administration)
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Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT)
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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Lower GI Series (Barium Enema)
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
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Risks of Colorectal Cancer Screening
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
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Stages of Colon Cancer
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
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Stages of Rectal Cancer
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Stool DNA Test (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Tests for Colorectal Cancer (American Cancer Society)
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Tests to Detect Colorectal Cancer and Polyps
(National Cancer Institute)
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Tumor Marker Tests
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Colon Cleansing: Health or Hype? (University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center)
- Colorectal (Colon) Cancer: Questions to Ask Your Doctor (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
- Colorectal (Colon) Cancer: What Are the Risk Factors? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
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Colorectal Cancer Prevention
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) (American Society of Clinical Oncology) Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
- Colostomy - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
-
Drugs Approved for Colon and Rectal Cancer
(National Cancer Institute)
- Laparoscopic Colon Resection (Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons) Also in Spanish
- Large bowel resection - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
-
Ostomy Surgery of the Bowel
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
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Treatment Option Overview (Colon Cancer)
(National Cancer Institute)
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Treatment Option Overview (Rectal Cancer)
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
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Treatment Options (by Stage) for Colon Cancer
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
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Treatment Options by Stage (Rectal Cancer)
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Living With
- CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen) Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- Living as a Colorectal Cancer Survivor (American Cancer Society)
- Second Cancers After Colorectal Cancer (American Cancer Society)
- Treatment and Side Effects (Colorectal Cancer Coalition) - PDF
Related Issues
- Lynch Syndrome (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- What Should You Ask Your Doctor about Colorectal Cancer? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Specifics
- Appendix Cancer (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
Genetics
- Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
- Genetic Testing for Hereditary Colorectal Cancer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
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Genetics Home Reference: Lynch syndrome
(National Library of Medicine)
- Hereditary Mixed Polyposis Syndrome (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
- Juvenile Polyposis Syndrome (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
-
Learning about Colon Cancer
(National Human Genome Research Institute)
- Muir-Torre Syndrome (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
- MYH-Associated Polyposis (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
Images
- Colon cancer - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Health Check Tools
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Colorectal Cancer Risk Assessment Tool
(National Cancer Institute)
- Take the Quiz: Colorectal Cancer (American Cancer Society)
Videos and Tutorials
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Get Tested for Colon Cancer: Here's How
(American Cancer Society)
-
Laparoscopic Right Colectomy
(BroadcastMed) - Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Merriam, KS, 05/04/2012
Statistics and Research
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Cancer Stat Facts: Colorectal Cancer
(National Cancer Institute)
-
Colorectal Cancer
(National Cancer Institute)
- Colorectal Cancer Rates by Race and Ethnicity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- What's New in Colorectal Cancer Research and Treatment? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Colonic Neoplasms
(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Colorectal Neoplasms
(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Rectal Neoplasms
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: The value of magnetic resonance imaging to diagnose pathological complete...
- Article: Diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging,...
- Article: Postoperative morbidity of complete mesocolic excision and central vascular ligation...
- Colorectal Cancer -- see more articles
Reference Desk
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Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Find an Expert
- American Cancer Society
- American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
- ASGE: Find a Doctor (American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy)
- Find a Cancer Doctor (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
-
National Cancer Institute
Also in Spanish
-
Organizations That Offer Support Services
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Women
- Guidelines for endoscopy in pregnant and lactating women (American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy) - PDF
Patient Handouts
- Abdominal radiation - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- After chemotherapy - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Colon cancer (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Colon cancer screening (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Large bowel resection (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
-
Lower GI Series
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
-
Understanding Chemotherapy
(National Cancer Institute) - PDF Also in Spanish
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What to Know about External Beam Radiation Therapy
(National Cancer Institute) - PDF Also in Spanish