Doctors will create a course of treatment based on which stage the patient’s cancer is in at the time of discovery. If the cancer is in the early stages then surgery might be the best option to go with followed by a round or two of chemotherapy. If the cancer is in a late stage then the doctor will need to determine how many rounds of chemotherapy and at what strength they should be used to treat the colon cancer tumors. Another option for treating colon cancer is the use of radiation. Typically, surgery is only a viable option when the cancer is in an early stage. Surgery can be performed during a colonoscopy, removing the polyps found in the colon by the doctor.

Another type of surgery occurs when the cancer is considered to be invasive. Invasive colon cancer occurs when the tumors have invaded other areas of the colon. This type of surgery will require the doctor to remove a piece of the colon, where the tumor has spread to, to help treat the disease. During this procedure, lymph nodes near the tumor are usually also removed to have them tested for cancer. Once the surgery is complete, the doctor should be able to reconnect the patient’s colon or rectum. If this cannot be done then the patient might have to live the rest of his or her life with a permanent colostomy.

Chemotherapy is used to kill cancer cells, to control the growth of the cancer cells, or to relieve some of the symptoms of the cancer in the colon. Chemotherapy for colon cancer is usually not used unless the cancer has spread from the colon to another organ or to the lymph nodes in the same area. Radiation therapy is used to kill cancer cells or to shrink a tumor prior to surgery, which is performed to have that tumor removed from the affected area of the body. The three most common drugs used to treat colon cancer include Avastin, Erbitux, and Vectibix. Not all colon cancer patients benefit from taking medication targeted at colon cancer. If patients do not react well to medication then their only options depend on the staging of the cancer.

Before cleansing any other part of your body, be sure to tackle colon cleansing first. The first step to natural colon cleansing is a change in diet. This involves eating more raw fruits and vegetables and less cooked or processed foods. This helps the body to naturally eliminate waste without the toxic build up. You may even want to try a juice fast of true fruit and vegetable juice in order to speed things along.

One form of natural colon cleansing is herbal. This normally involves the use of psyllium. This herb is normally found in pill form and is the main ingredient for laxatives. It absorbs water and helps to push bowels through the system. It also assists the growth of “helpful” bacteria such as bifidobacteria-which aids in the digestive system and in excretion of bowels. There may be some discomfort or irritability when first using a psyllium laxative. The key is to start out with smaller doses and build up to the recommended daily allowance. Keep in mind that if using the recommended dosage of laxative does not ‘clean things out’ then you may want to consult a physician. There may be a medical condition causing your symptoms of constipation.

Another form of natural colon cleansing is through parasite cleansing. How do you get a parasite? These can be found through food, water, houseflies, mosquitoes, sand flies, or even through your nose or skin through dust or walking barefoot. The signs for discovering whether or not you have a parasite are numerous. Starting with feeling tired most of the time-which can lead to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, gas, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, environmental sensitivity, joint and muscle pain. These are a few of the symptoms. This does not guarantee that you have a parasite, but it is a good indication. The best way to get rid of parasites is to use herbs such as Black Walnut Hulls, Cloves and Wormwood. Black Walnut Hulls are used to expel ringworms, tapeworms and more. This herb oxygenates a person’s blood, which, in turn, kills all of the parasites and then flushed them out. Wormwood paralyzes the parasite so that it loosens its hold and is easier to remove from your system. Cloves are best used if fresh and non-irradiated. This is best for removing parasites because natural cloves contain the ‘good’ bacteria to fight parasites.

Improve your health through natural colon cleansing methods. There is no need to use chemical laxatives. Using natural methods assures you that your body is healing itself. The average person has 8 “digested” meals stored in their intestines. Someone with optimal health should have no more than 1-2 between bowel movements. A real “colon cleansing” can take 2-3 weeks or even longer. Remember that it took years to build up; it is not going to disappear overnight.

There are two major parts of the colon that help the body stay healthy. Those two parts of the colon are known as the distal colon and the ascending colon. The distal colon has a primary function of excreting waste while the ascending colon has a primary function of absorbing the materials needed by the body such as bile salts and electrolytes. The best way to keep the colon healthy is to eat a good diet, exercise, get enough sleep at night and by living an overall healthy lifestyle. Anyone interested in improving the health of their colon should not smoke excessively or drink too heavily as these two habits could increase the risk of developing colon-related diseases or colon cancer somewhere down the road.

Scientists have found a link between bad breath, acne, and spider veins and the colon. All three of these problems can be caused by a malfunction within the colon if the colon is not kept healthy by the person suffering from these afflictions. The colon helps to rid the body of unneeded waste, which means that it cleanses the body on a daily basis. If the colon is not healthy enough to rid the body of all the unneeded waste then the bacteria associated with that waste can eventually harm the body. Doctors recommend that patients do the following to keep their colon as healthy as possible:

• Exercise regularly.
• Keep an ideal weight for your height and body type.
• Eat at least five servings of vegetables and fruit each day.
• Fat intake should be limited to no more than 30 percent of a person’s total daily calories.

If a patient does all of the above and still cannot keep their colon healthy or rid themselves of constipation then there could be an underlying and possibly more serious cause of the problem. If problems of an unhealthy colon continue to persist then the patient should consult with his or her physician immediately to have tests performed. Serious colon problems include colorectal cancer, which is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths each year in the United States. Each year more than 150,000 people in the country are diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

One of the most prominent and common warning signs of colon cancer is constipation. Now, constipation can occur at anytime and affect any person because of their lack of exercise, their diet, or as a side effect of a medication they are taking. When constipation cannot be cured or persists for longer than a couple of months then the cause can be something more serious than the person’s diet. In this case, colorectal cancer could be the cause. If a tumor has grown in the colon it could be blocking the path of the excrement, not allowing it to exit the body. Other warning signs include the following:

• Blood in the stool or on the stool
• Constant cramps that last for more than a couple of days
• Weight loss for no known reason at all
• Feeling that the bowel does not empty completely after making a bowel movement
• Constant tiredness
• Development of diarrhea or constipation for no known reason
• Bloating, fullness, or cramps
• Frequent gas pains
• A continuing need to move bowels without satisfaction or success

Not all of these warning signs will be prominent with the development of colorectal cancer and most do not show up until the cancer has already developed into its later stages. People who are at a higher risk of developing the cancer include the following:

• Anyone aged 50 years or older
• People diagnosed with polyps or an early stage of colorectal cancer
• People with a family history of colorectal cancer
• People with a family history of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or uterine cancer that is inherited
• Anyone who suffers from inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis

If any of these warning signs or risk factors apply to you, contact your physician immediately to set up an appointment. The doctor can then review your medical history, examine you, and determine if further tests need to be performed on the colon. The second leading cause of deaths related to cancer in the United States is colon cancer. Colon cancer is also the third-leading cancer diagnosed each year across the country. Colon cancer is a dangerous disease that should not be taken lightly. If any of these symptoms arise a doctor should be consulted with immediately. It does not mean that the underlying problem in the colon has been caused by colon cancer but it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Doctors and other medical professionals recommend regular screening of the colon for the development of polyps because they can produce very few symptoms, which might not appear until the cancer has spread throughout the body. Getting regular screenings done will help patients discover any development of cancer in their body prior to it spreading throughout the body and becoming a stage four cancer. Appointments with a doctor should be made as soon as symptoms of colon cancer appear so that tests can be performed and a treatment procedure can be determined in its early stages.

The symptoms of colon cancer include one or more of the following:

• Changes in the patient’s bowel habits: the development of diarrhea or constipation
• Blood in the stool
• Cramps or gas pain persistently
• The feeling that your bowel is never empty even after going to the bathroom
• Weakness or fatigue
• An unexplained weight loss

The majority of these colon cancer symptoms do not appear in the earlier stages of the disease. Instead, the symptoms will appear once the cancer is more developed or after it has spread to other locations in the body. For the most part, colon cancer screenings begin at the age of 50 but doctors might recommend starting those screenings earlier if the patient has a family history of colon cancer or another risk factor. Risk factors that could increase a patient’s chance of developing colon cancer include one or more of the following:

• 90 percent of people diagnosed with colon cancer are over the age of 50 years
• Being of African American race
• Suffering from an inflammatory disease of the intestine
• Family history of polyps or colon cancer
• A diet high in fat or low in fiber
• Having a life without regular activity
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Alcohol use
• Smoking
• Radiation therapy for another form of cancer
• Syndromes passed throughout the genes of the patient’s family

Doctors will use the following tests to determine whether or not a patient is suffering from colon cancer or another disease of the colon:

• Blood tests
• Scoping the colon
• CT images
• X-rays
• Dye

Colon cancer has various stages including Stage 0, Stage I, Stage II, Stage III, Stage IV and recurrent. Recurrent means that the cancer continues to return despite various treatments by doctors and other medical staff.

Two recent studies have indicated that using blood tests to detect colon cancer can become a non invasive method of detecting colon cancer in patients in the near future. “We have found biomarkers that can be used to screen for colorectal cancer,” said Dr. Joost Louwagie, of OncoMethylome Sciences in Liege, Belgium, and lead researcher of one study. “These markers are found in blood, so a regular blood test performed during a regular physical check-up could check for the presence of colorectal cancer.” The study was performed in Berlin, Germany.

The study conducted included taking blood samples from 193 people suffering from colon cancer and blood samples from 688 people without colon cancer who were having colonoscopies performed. The researchers looked at genes associated with colon cancer that appear in the blood and found two common ones; SYNE1 and FOXE1. These two genes were present in people who suffer from colon cancer but were very infrequent in people without the disease. Louwagie does not think that this new test will replace a colonoscopy or a fecal occult blood test but it will be another viable option for patients to choose from that is less intrusive than the other options available.

“If such a screening test could reduce deaths from colon cancer it is very significant,” Dr. Floriano Marchetti said. “A noninvasive, inexpensive blood test could get more people to be screened.” Marchetti is an assistant professor of surgery and director of the Colon and Rectal Surgery Residency Program at the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Louwagie knows and understands that more trials with larger sample sizes are needed to prove the validity of the blood test and hopes to have a new trial underway by the end of the 2009 calendar year. The new trial will encompass at least 7,000 people. If these trials prove that this test can work effectively then this option will become highly popular among people across the globe because normal blood tests are done with regular physical examinations during doctor visits. Blood tests will also be less invasive and will cost less from the wallet of the patient, which makes this test very attractive.

“Obesity is catching up at a rate that makes it possible; it could become the biggest attributable cause of cancer in women within the next decade,” said Andrew Renehan. Renehan is a University of Manchester cancer specialist. Studies also show that being obese causes 15 percent of cancer fatalities in men and 20 percent of cancer fatalities in women. The National Cancer Institute also claims that the most common adult cancers, such as colon cancer, might be linked to obesity and the lack of exercise by the patient diagnosed with the cancer. So, if you are overweight you should consider changing your eating habits and beginning an exercise program to begin losing weight to prevent the onset of cancer. It is not guaranteed that every person who is overweight will develop cancer but 41,000 new cancer cases in the United States in 2002 were caused by obesity, which means that 3.2 percent of all new cases were caused by the patient being overweight.

It has been found that cancer occurs more often in people who are obese than in those who are of a normal weight. Men with high BMIs have a higher risk of developing colon cancer but the correlation between BMI and the risk in women for developing colon cancer was found to be weaker, if not absent entirely. Doctors feel that estrogen tends to be protective against colon cancer in the woman’s body. On the other side of things though it has been found that women with a high BMI and who are taking estrogen while either being premenopausal or postmenopausal have an increased risk of developing colon cancer. However, women who have a high BMI and are postmenopausal but are not taking estrogen do not have a high risk of developing colon cancer. It is also thought that the risk of colon cancer can be increased in men if they have too much weight in the abdominal area. In women, fat appears on their body on the thighs, hips, and buttocks, making it less of a risk to develop colon cancer based on being overweight.

The drug is manufactured by Merck, which is based in Darmstadt, Germany. Merck performed a study using Erbitux on patients that suffer from the disease colon cancer and found that patients with a normal version of the KRAS gene lived an average of 3.5 months longer than the patients that were treated solely with chemotherapy. This information from Merck was released on September 23, 2009 at the European Cancer Organization and European Society for Medical Oncology. The study also showed that patients taking Erbitux had an overall median survival rate of 23.5 months compared to a median survival of 20 months for the patients only receiving chemotherapy treatments and not both chemotherapy and the drug Erbitux.

Erbitux was approved for the treatment of colon cancer by the Food and Drug Administration in 2004 and it is in the category of a new class of drugs called monoclonal antibodies. Other drugs that fall into this category include Avastin and a drug named Vectibix, which was approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration in 2007. An antibody is a substance that is produced by the body to protect against harmful objects such as bacteria or viruses. An antibody will stick to the invader within the body and help to destroy it before it causes harm to the person. A monoclonal antibody is an antibody created in a lab and placed into the body to attack a specific target and destroy that target. Monoclonal antibodies are so precise that experts and doctors hope that they will become a more effective way to treat cancerous tumors while also having fewer side effects like chemotherapy.

The possible side effects of using Erbitux include one or more of the following:

• Skin problems such as acne, rash, and dry skin. Some skin reactions might actually mean that the drug is working against the cancer.
• Fatigue and weakness
• Fever
• Constipation
• Abdominal pain
• Difficulty breathing
• Low blood pressure
• Reactions while the drug is being given

If you suffer from colon cancer, you should consult with your doctor about possibly receiving a prescription for Erbitux to help treat the disease. Your doctor will be able to determine whether or not the drug will work against colon cancer depending on the stage your cancer is at when prescribed.

Researchers working on the study claim that “Given the potential cost savings from screening, screening not only is desirable from the perspective of governments and insurance companies to reduce colorectal cancer incidence and mortality but also will help to contain the increasing costs for the management of colorectal cancer.”

The screening procedures used in the study include annual guaiac fecal occult blood testing, annual immunochemical fecal occult blood test, sigmoidoscopy every five years, colonoscopy every 10 years and the combination of sigmoidoscopy every five years and annual guaiac fecal occult blood test. The study found that the patient’s lifetime average treatment savings were greater than the lifetime average screenings costs of the following:

• Hemoccult II ($1,398 vs $859)
• Immunochemical fecal occult blood test ($1,756 vs $1,565)
• Sigmoidoscopy ($1,706 vs $1,575)
• Sigmoidoscopy and Hemoccult II combined ($1,931 vs $1,878)
• The total net costs of colonoscopy decreased per person from $1,317 to $296

The researchers working on this study wrote, “This analysis revealed that it takes 25 to 40 years after the start of a screening strategy before the treatment savings of that strategy outweigh its costs. This finding has important implications for insurance companies. If insurers anticipate that beneficiaries will not stay in their program for more than five years, they may be less inclined to cover a colorectal cancer screening program despite the long-term savings of such a program.”

Cancer is not only a serious and life-threatening disease, it is also a very expensive disease that can diminish a person’s finances immediately because of the amount of screenings, medications, and treatments that people will need to pay for either out of their own pocket or through their medical insurance. If the patient does not have medical insurance then he or she will find it difficult to pay for treatments such as chemotherapy. So, if patients continue to use regular screening procedures then the patients will be able to save a decent amount of money.

A study done in a hospital involved 596 men and women that suffer from colorectal cancer and 509 controls who ranged in age from 30 to 79. The study found that patients who consumed 180mg or less of folate per day were two times more likely to develop colon cancer compared to patients who ate 270mg of folate or more on a daily basis. The study also found that women who consumed more than 300mg of folate per day were 64 percent less likely to develop colorectal cancer compared to women that consumed 200mg of folate per day or less. In the same study, researchers found that there was no influence of folate intake on men’s colorectal cancer risk. The patients in the study with cancer were more likely to have the cancer because of their family history, because they consume more alcohol, and ten to be smokers. These patients were found to exercise less likely as well.

Folate can be found in green, leafy vegetables and citrus fruits and should be eaten on a daily basis to help avoid the development of colon cancer. Some of the research done in the study suggests that this protective option could vary by the patient’s ethnic background. The findings of this study are vitally important because the findings suggest that colorectal cancer can be decreased simply by modifying the diet of the patient. The body requires folates because they help to form nucleotides, which are the building blocks of DNA and RNA, to copy DNA, and for other genetic functions. If a person has a low intake of folates he or she will be more at risk for genetic mutations that can cause the development of colorectal cancer.

Doctors also recommend changing the rest of your diet if you wish to prevent colon cancer. Other ways to prevent colon cancer is to add vegetables to your diet, eat a low-fat diet, fruits to your diet, add whole grain to your diet and drink green tea regularly because it is high in antioxidants, which can help anyone trying to prevent colon cancer.