Introduction:
Colorectal Cancer is a malignancy of the large intestine, the lower portion of the intestinal tract, which consists of the colon and rectum. Although colon cancer can occur in any segment of the colon, it is most common in the sigmoid colon, the section closest to the rectum. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 94,000 new cases of colon cancer and 36,000 cases of rectal cancer are diagnosed annually in the United States. (1)An estimated 48,000 people with colon cancer and 8,600 with rectal cancer die from the diseases each year. These cancers are the third most common of all cancers, as well as the third most frequent cause of cancer death in both men and women. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, each year about 17,000 new cases of colorectal cancer are diagnosed in Canada, and 6,400 people die from the disease. The risk of colorectal cancer increases significantly with age. (1) About 90 percent of all colorectal cancers are diagnosed in people over the age of 50. A family history of colorectal cancer, the presence of polyps (abnormal but usually benign growths) in the large intestine, or inflammatory bowel disease are also risk factors.
Mutated versions of several genes have been linked to colon cancer. For example, in their normal form the genes MSH2, MLH1, PMS1, and PMS2 correct tiny errors that occur when cells divide and grow. Mutated versions of these genes cannot make such repairs, and eventually an accumulation of many such errors interferes with a cell’s ability to resist the uncontrolled division and growth that characterize cancer.
Research has linked the consumption of certain foods to colorectal cancer. The more red meat and animal fat that people eat, the greater their risk of developing colorectal cancer. Conversely, some studies have indicated that diets high in fiber (indigestible roughage) may reduce the risk of the disease.................
