Colon cancer is a disease that may be caused by many factors.  These are genetic, dietary, and environmental factors.  It is unlikely that any one factor, such as fiber, plays a dominant role.

Woman with Variety of Fruits and Vegetables

So what can help reduce your risk of colon cancer?

Oral supplements such as calcium, fish oil and folic acid, diets high in fiber, fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat and red meat, avoiding obesity, getting regular exercise, and quitting cigarette smoking are safe measures that are likely to prevent or at least reduce your risk of colo-rectal cancer.

As you are aware, high fiber diets are the best thing for colon problems.  A woman should eat 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day and a man 30 to38 grams a day.  The best foods for a high fiber diet include fruits, vegetables, and grains.  In making the right combination of foods, you can very easily sustain a high fiber diet.

Studies have shown that people with high fiber diets have more frequent and bulky stools and had less illness. It is thought that the health benefits from fiber relate to its ability to increase stool bulk and speed up how quickly stool moves through the colon.  A recent National Institutes of Health study concluded that fiber from grains and whole grain foods helped reduce the risk of intestinal cancer and lower gastrointestinal cancers.  This can also help with overall colon health.

Here are some supplements that have been proven to help with lowering your cancer risks:

• People using glucosamine had 27% lower risk of colorectal cancer.
• People using chondroitin had 35% lower risk of colorectal cancer.
• People using fish oil had 35% lower risk of colorectal cancer.
• People using MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) had 54% lower risk of colorectal cancer.
• People using the herb St. John’s wort had 65% lower risk of colorectal cancer.

These are all supplements that are available over the counter or in your local health food store.  All supplements have various benefits so it may be necessary to do your research on what else each of these supplements can do, besides reduce your cancer risk.

Vitamin D is a supplement that may help with digestion and may reduce cancer risks.  Your body produces acid to digest food; however, in high amounts this digestive acid can be cancerous.  Studies have shown that Vitamin D can help your body alleviate some of this acid before it can lead to colon cancer.  Vitamin D also helps protect against other types of cancer, helps your heart, strengthens your bones by helping your body use calcium, and boosts your immune system function.

These methods are not guaranteed to eliminate colon cancer.  However, they can reduce your risk of colon cancer and they can help keep your colon healthy.

Suggested Reading

• Supplements for Colon Cleansers
• The use of Psyllium Husk for Colon Cleansing
• What are the possible treatments for colon cancer?
• How can you Cleanse your Colon to Remove Candida?
• The Best Colon Detox Menu
• The Colon Health Diet
• Natural Remedies for Colon Problems

The treatment options depend on the following:

• The stage of the cancer.
• Whether the cancer has recurred.
• The patient’s general health.

A staging process will be used to determine how advanced the cancer is.  As the cancer develops, it can spread through your tissues, through the lymphatic system and through the blood.  If the cancer enters your blood, it can then travel through your entire body.

The stages of cancer range from Stage 0, in which there are abnormal cells in the lining of the colon.  These cells may or may not be cancerous.  The stages can develop all the way to stage IV.  In Stage IV, the cancer has spread into the lymph nodes and may be spreading to the liver and lungs.

The primary treatment of colon cancer is to surgically remove part of your colon or at least all or part of the cancerous tumors.   If the cancer is found early, you may be able to have a local excision.  In this case, the doctor will place a tube through the rectum into the colon and cut the cancer out.

If the cancer is larger, a resection may be necessary.  A resection is also called a partial colectomy, which is removing the cancer and a small amount of the tissue or the colon around it.  During the surgery, you may also have lymph nodes remove to ensure that the cancer has not spread.

Once the surgery is over, chemotherapy may also be necessary.  Chemotherapy can stop the growth of cancer cells and can prolong survival for people whose cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes.  There are numerous kinds of chemotherapy, including medications that are taken by mouth or drugs that are injected into the veins by an IV.  The type and need for chemotherapy also depends on the stage of the cancer.

Radiation treatment is another treatment to help people with cancer that involves using x-ray radiation to kill cancer cells.  It usually is only used for rectal cancer versus colon cancer.  If is possible to receive radiation before surgery and it may reduce the size of the tumor.  If the radiation does reduce the size of the tumor, you may have more luck in having it removed.

As there risks and side effects to all the various treatments, it is important to research your options.  First you should consider the side effects, life changes, financial aspects and follow-up treatments.  Your doctor should be able to provide a summary of each treatment and whether it is the best for your age and your current health.  If necessary, you can seek a second opinion or you can simply follow your doctor’s recommendations.  With everything else, research the facts and take your time with your decision.

Suggested Reading

• Colon Cancer and Your Diet