March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States after lung cancer and is one of the most preventable cancers. Many colorectal cancer deaths could be avoided if people of 50 went for the recommended screening tests. The majority of colorectal cancers are adenocarcinomas but begin as polyps. This cancer develops from the lining of the large intestine and rectum. Colorectal cancer grows slowly and often does not cause symptoms for quite some time. As the cancer grows, it invades the wall of the large bowel. Often nearby lymph nodes are invaded. Blood from the wall of the intestine is carried to the liver; colorectal cancer easily spreads or metastasizes to the liver soon after spreading to the lymph nodes.

Are you interested in learning more about colorectal cancer, tumor types, staging and the unique information that each imaging modality, clinical exam, or test provides to reach a diagnostic conclusion? This case study is free at the Learning Center If you are a first-time user of the Learning Center, you will need to click on the "Register" button, which is free and obtain a password.