What is Colon Cancer
If you or a loved one has been recently diagnosed with colorectal cancer, or have been battling colorectal cancer for some time and are exploring your treatment options, you have come to the right place. Colorectal cancer is cancer that forms in either the colon or the rectum. The colon and rectum are parts of the body\'s gastrointestinal (digestive) system. They form a long, muscular tube called the large intestine (or large bowel).
After food is chewed and swallowed, it travels down the esophagus to the stomach and then to the small intestine. From the small intestine, partly digested food enters the colon (the first five feet of the large intestine), which removes water and nutrients from the food and turns the rest into waste (stool). The waste then passes from the colon (which consists of four sections) into the rectum (the last six inches of the large intestine) and then out of the body.
In most cases, colorectal cancers develop slowly over a period of several years. Adenocarcinomas account for about 95 percent of colorectal cancers. Adenocarcinomas (e.g., mucinous, signet ring cell) begin in the intestinal gland cells that line the inside of the colon and rectum.
Colorectal cancer can start in the tissues of any of the four sections of the colon or in the rectum. When cells that line either of these organs become abnormal and grow out of control, a cancerous tumor forms.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) offers a comprehensive, individualized approach to colorectal cancer treatment. Here, we are committed to caring for you like family. Our doctors and practitioners will empower you with information, listen to your concerns, and deliver an integrative colorectal treatment plan tailored to your needs.
