Recognizing the symptoms and risks for colorectal cancer

As men and women know full well, cancer does not discriminate. Few and far between are the men and women whose lives have not been touched by cancer in one form or another. Be it a personal battle with the disease or a connection via a friend, family member, coworker, or other acquaintance, nearly everyone can cite someone in their life who has battled a form of cancer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among cancers that affect both men and women, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, claiming the lives of more than 50,000 men and women in 2007, the most recent year for which statistics are available. In Canada, a country with roughly one-tenth the population of the United States, the Canadian Cancer Society reported that colorectal cancer was expected to claim the lives of nearly 9,000 Canadians in 2011.

Such figures illustrate the importance men and women must place on educating themselves about colorectal cancer and its symptoms and potential risk factors. First, however, it helps to understand just what colorectal cancer is and why it is so deadly.

What is colorectal cancer?

Colorectal cancer is cancer that starts in either the colon or the rectum, which make up the large intestine. Often referred to as colon cancer, colorectal cancer can begin anywhere in the large intestine and the majority of colorectal cancers begin as abnormal growths called polyps that develop inside the colon or rectum and become cancers over a long period of time.

Who gets colorectal cancer?

Colorectal cancer does not discriminate. In fact, of the roughly 53,000 cases of colorectal cancers reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2007, there was a nearly equal split of cases between men and women, with men accounting slightly less than 800 more cases than women over that time.

Are there known causes of colorectal cancer?

Despite its prevalence, colorectal cancer can rarely be traced to a specific cause. According to the CDC, roughly 75 percent of colorectal cancers occur in people with no known risk factors. However, the following may increase a person's risk of developing colorectal cancer:

* A personal or family history of colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer

* Inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease

In a very small percentage of colorectal cancer cases, the cause is linked to a genetic syndrome such as familial adenomatous polyposis or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, also known as Lynch syndrome.

Are there symptoms of colorectal cancer?

Both colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer don't always cause symptoms. This is especially true initially, when people could be living with polyps or cancer and not even know it. Such is the reason screenings for colorectal cancer, which should occur regularly when men and women reach age 50 are so important. But in some cases, the following symptoms may appear:

* Blood in or on your stool

* Persistent stomach pain or aches

* Inexplicable weight loss

Though causes of colorectal cancer aren't always known, studies have shown exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can decrease risk. More information is available at www.cdc.gov/can

cer/colorectal.