Johns Hopkins Health Alerts Colon Cancer

Important advances and the most current information to help you prevent or treat colon cancer

Colorectal cancer – a term that includes cancers of both the colon and the rectum -- is the third most common cause of cancer overall in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women. The good news is that when diagnosed and treated in the early stages, the five-year survival rate for colon cancer is over 90%. That’s why early screening to reveal precancerous growths is essential.

Screening for colon cancer often involves a yearly fecal occult blood test. If the test reveals the presence of blood in the stool, even trace amounts, you will need to undergo a colonoscopy to find the cause of the bleeding. For those of us over age 50, current guidelines recommend a colonoscopy every ten years.

Besides regular screening, lifestyle measures may reduce the risk of developing colon cancer or preventing its recurrence. These include eating a diet low in animal fat and high in fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and not drinking alcohol excessively.

This Colon Cancer area of the Johns Hopkins Health Alerts website offers advice to help you understand and prevent this highly curable cancer. We also report on new developments in screening, diagnosis, research, and treatment options for colon cancer.

Other topics include: self tests for colorectal cancer; the pros and cons of laparoscopic colon cancer surgery; how doctors grade colon cancer; traditional vs. virtual colonoscopy; research findings on calcium, vitamin B6, and aspirin therapy to protect against colon cancer; and the link between diet and risk of colon cancer.

We will be updating the site at least once a month, so please bookmark this page so you can check back on all the latest Colon Cancer news.

Colon Cancer Articles:

• Colon Cancer Prevention

• Colon Cancer Symptoms

• Colon Cancer Treatment

• Diagnosing Colon Cancer

Colon Cancer Glossary

For more information on Colon Cancer please visit the BOOKSTORE .