Colorectal Cancer Flashcards
within the colon, do most cancers arise in the left side or right side?
50% arise in left side, 25% in the right
what percentage of colon cancers are synchronous lesions?
4-5%
what do most colon cancers arsie from?
pre-existing adenomatous polyps
what are some risk factors of bowel cancer?
- old age
- low intake of fibre
- high intake of fat, sugar, alcohol, red meat and processed meats
- obesity
- smoking
- lack of physical exercise
what is the genetic risk of bowel cancer?
- Mutations in APC (adenomatous polyposis coli)
- mutations of p53 gene
what are predisposing risks of bowel cancer?
- long standing inflammatory bowel disease eg ulcerative colitis
how does colon cancer spread?
- direct spread
- lymphatic spread
- blood borne spread (liver and lung)
- transcoelomic spread (rare)
what are some ways in which colon cancer presents?
- bowel screening program
- urgent referral
- emergency
what are signs and symptoms of right sided colon cancer?
- unexplained iron deficiency anaemia
- persistent tiredness
- a persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit
- unexplained weight loss
- abdominal pain
- lump in abdomen
what are signs and symptoms of left sided colorectal cancer?
- rectal bleeding
- feeling of incomplete emptying
- worsening constipation
what investigations would be carried ouy?
- barium enema
- sigmoidoscopy v colonoscopy
- CT colonography
what is a sessile polyp?
grow flat on the tissue lining the organ
at what stages is colon cancer normally diagnosed by?
- stages 1-3
what treatment is required?
surgery resection depending on where cancer is located
what happens post op?
chemo/radiotherapy
