Colorectal cancer is a cancer that starts in the lower part of the intestine. The colon is also known as the large bowel. The rectum is at the very end of the bowel, and leads to the anus, which is the opening through which solid waste material (feces) leaves the body. Colorectal cancer is very common in both men and women. Undetected colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths overall in this country.

The good news is that most colorectal cancers can be detected early, before the cancer has spread. Cancers of the colon usually start as polyps that can be seen when an individual has a colonoscopy. In a colonoscopy, the individual is sedated and a long, narrow tube is passed through the anus into the colon. Tiny abnormal growths discovered this way can be removed while the person is still sedated. Everyone who is fifty or older should have a colonoscopy or other screening test. This test is repeated every five or ten years.

Another form of screening for colorectal cancer is the annual FOBT (fecal occult blood test) or FIT (fecal immunochemical test) kits. These tests check for blood in the stool and are done in the privacy of your home. If blood is detected then the colonoscopy is done to determine the cause. Simple screening can save lives!

For more information about colorectal cancer see the following sites:

• The CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/basic_info/
• Medline Plus: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/colorectalcancer.html#overviews
• The National Cancer Institute: http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/pdq/prevention/colorectal/patient