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In general, colon cancer begins when healthy cells in the colon develop changes mutations in their DNA. A cell's DNA contains a set of instructions that tell a cell what to do. Healthy cells grow and divide in an orderly way to keep your body functioning normally.
But when a cell's DNA is damaged and becomes cancerous, cells continue to divide — even when new cells aren't needed. As the cells accumulate, they form a tumor. With time, the cancer cells can grow to invade and destroy normal tissue nearby. And cancerous cells can travel to other parts of the body to form deposits there metastasis.
Doctors recommend that people with an average risk of colon cancer consider colon cancer screening around age But people with an increased risk, such as those with a family history of colon cancer, should consider screening sooner. Several screening options exist — each with its own benefits and drawbacks.
Talk about your options with your doctor, and together you can decide which tests are appropriate for you. You can take steps to reduce your risk of colon cancer by making changes in your everyday life. Take steps to:. Some medications have been found to reduce the risk of precancerous polyps or colon cancer. For instance, some evidence links a reduced risk of polyps and colon cancer to regular use of aspirin or aspirin-like drugs. But it's not clear what dose and what length of time would be needed to reduce the risk of colon cancer.
Taking aspirin daily has some risks, including gastrointestinal bleeding and ulcers. These options are generally reserved for people with a high risk of colon cancer. There isn't enough evidence to recommend these medications to people who have an average risk of colon cancer. If you have an increased risk of colon cancer, discuss your risk factors with your doctor to determine whether preventive medications are safe for you. Colon cancer care at Mayo Clinic.
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For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy. Do I Have Colorectal Cancer? Signs, Symptoms and Work-Up. Written By: Medical Content Team. What are the signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer? Your doctor may also want you to get more tests such as: Colonoscopy : A colonoscopy is a test where a thin tube with a light on the end is put through the anus, into the rectum and colon to look closely at the inside.
If any abnormal lump mass or growth polyp is found, a piece of it can be taken a biopsy and checked in the lab for cancer cells. Biopsy : During a biopsy, the doctor takes out a small piece of tissue where the cancer might be. The tissue is checked for cancer cells. This is the best way to know if you have cancer. CT scans can also be used to help do a biopsy and can show if the cancer has spread. Ultrasound : For this test, a small wand is moved around on your skin. It gives off sound waves and picks up the echoes as they bounce off tissues.
The echoes are made into a picture on a computer screen. I don't currently eat gluten, minimal dairy, no processed foods, anything high in sugar, I keep my carbs low and increased my water intake.
I've been eating clean for nearly 3 months. Lots of nuts, veg, meat, eggs and small amounts of rice. I tried low fodmap for a few weeks but it was very hard to stick too and I didn't see any improvement in my bloating or constipation so I decided to keep on with clean eating rather than avoiding certain foods.
Perhaps I'll look into it again if general surgery don't find any cause for my bloating and constipation. I found it difficult and nearly gave up. Clean eating is great, but unless you systematically exclude and re-introduce each food group you won't really know if it's a trigger. For example, my triggers include mushrooms and beans, which most people would class as clean and healthy.
I also found that soy milk is a trigger so I now use almond milk. I'll be honest with you. Even when I'd identified a few triggers, I still thought that it was a lot of effort for little return.
But having excluded my triggers, a year later I'm feeling a lot better. I've only had one minor flare up in that time, and I don't need the Alverine and Buscopan tablets before every meal.
I just keep them on standby in case of another flare up. Anyway, good with the appointment. I hope the appointment goes well and whatever they find isn't too worrying for you. Please let us know how you get on. And we'll be here if you need to talk to someone again.
Hi Lornalu hope you are ok. Just wondered how you got on? Did you get to the bottom of what was going on? I am also intrigued about this sausage shape you've felt as I have the exact same situation. I've got an ultrasound tomorrow and I've managed to get a FIT test for my poo that I need to send in.
Hi, I also have this exact same long sausage like lump in my lower left, that runs from my hip bone towards my pubic bone. Did you manage to find out what was the cause?
How did the ultrasound go? Everything came back normal and the consultant said that the sausage like lump is actually my colon that I can feel because I don't carry much weight and it's completely normal. I had a colonoscopy and all was fine. Constipation still persists and I have never found a cause. The other symptoms that I experienced all seemed to point to a hormone imbalance and nothing to do with my bowel.
Thank you for the update. I haven't pursed my self any more.
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