Colon / rectum is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Fortunately, colorectal cancer is usually slow-growing and the screening tests can detect before they will be disseminated.

There are several risk factors for bowel cancer, for example:

* History of the disease in a close family member

* Return onset of the disease or a history of two points of precancerous polyps

* Personal History of inflammatory bowel disease

* Rare genetic mutations

* Race: Blacks have a higher incidence of bowel cancer than other races and a low survival rate

What are the symptoms of bowel cancer? The main symptoms are:

* A change in bowel habits

* Thin, pencil-thin Seat

* Rektale bleeding or blood in the stool

* Persistent complaints celiac

* A sense that your gut is not completely emptied

* Unexplained weight loss

The American Cancer Society recommends colonoscopy from the age of 50 people, the average risk of the disease. If you have a personal or family history of the disease, or if you are African-Americans, your doctor may recommend that the elderly and / or frequency of meetings. There are a number of screening methods, including setting barium, sigmoidoscopy, fecal occult blood test (blood, acknowledges, in the feces), colonoscopy and virtual colonoscopy.

Colonoscopy is currently the test of choice for the detection of colon cancer. It allows the doctor for the whole of the large intestine and polyps or remove tissue samples suspicious areas.

Fortunately, there are steps you can in your daily life to reduce the risk of colon cancer. Make sure you are:

* Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and cereals, foodstuffs everything. These foods contain food, fibre and antioxidants, which a role in cancer prevention. The goal for the next five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day and includes a number of them in your diet.

* Limit fats, especially saturated fats. Saturated fatty acids are mainly of animal origin from sources, while tropical oils - coconut, palm and palm kernel - are saturated fat.

* Do you eat a varied diet. While studies have yet to demonstrate that we absolutely avoid colon cancer, there are signs that certain vitamins and minerals to reduce the risk. Vitamins and minerals, in conjunction with the lowest incidence of bowel cancer, vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium and folic acid. There is some sense that your diet with a variety of food, the food scarce.

* Limit alcohol consumption. Men should not exceed two drinks per day, women do not have more than one drink per day. One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80 proof schnapps.

* Be sure to smoke. If you are fighting with smoke, talk to your doctor. There are effective drugs that will help your efforts.

* Be physically active and maintain a healthy body weight. Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise. Current recommendations call for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity at least 5 days a week.

There are some indications that some medications may reduce the risk of colon cancer. However, there is currently not enough evidence to recommend these drugs for people who have an average risk of colorectal cancer. If you have an increased risk of developing the disease, you can discuss the benefits of these drugs against the risks, including:

* Aspirin. There are some signs in favour of reducing the risk of colon liaison, polyps and cancer to regularly use aspirin. However, it seems that this is not true for low dose aspirin or short term. It is possible that this is a large dose over a long period to have a positive effect, but with aspirin, this procedure can cause other gastrointestinal problems such as bleeding and ulcers .

* Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents such as aspirin other drugs. These drugs include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) and naproxen (Aleve). Some studies have shown nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be the risk of polyps and cancer, but the adverse gastrointestinal and bleeding ulcers. Some NSAIDs have been linked to an increased risk of heart problems.

* The celecoxib (Celebrex). These drugs are known as COX-2 inhibitors, and they work in the same way that NSAIDs to relieve pain. There are signs that they reduce the risk of precancerous polyps man who, since the diagnosis of these polyps in the past. However, COX-2 medicines is a risk of cardiovascular disease and two COX-2 inhibitors drugs have been withdrawn from the market because of the repercussions of it.

Many people are ashamed of screening for bowel cancer or concerned about complaints of the procedure. Do not be deterred by this submit to the tests - it can save your life.