Gastrointestinal cancer refers to cancers that typically affect the digestive system. This incorporates cancers of the oesophagus, gallbladder, liver, pancreas, stomach, small intestine, bowel, and anus (GI Cancer Institute, 2012). The types of Gastrointestinal cancer can be in the upper digestive tract or the lower digestive tract. Cancers in the upper digestive tract are: Esophageal, Stomach, pancreatic, liver,gall bladder. Cancer of the lower digestive tract include: anal, and colorectal cancer. (Wikimedia Foundation, 2015). Every year 4,000 to 5,000 adult in the U.S are diagnosed with a Gastrointestinal tumor (Cancer.Net, 2014).
Colon cancer is a type of Gastrointestinal cancer found in the lower part of the digestive system: large intestine. …show more content…
Colon cancer can develop and any age, but the risk of developing it increases with age. Figure 2 is a graph that shows the percent of new cases of Colon cancer between different ages. Also studies show that African Americans have the highest incidence of Colon Cancer in the U.S. Being overweight can increase the chances of developing Colon cancer as well. There are some lifestyle choices that can affect the risk of developing Colon Cancer. For example, diets high in red and processed meats, cooking meats at high temperatures creates chemicals linked to colon cancer, lack of physical activity, smoking, and heavy alcohol use. People with type II diabetes may also have an increased risk of developing colon cancer as well as people with an history of inflammatory bowel disease (Cancer Treatment Centers of America, 2001). People can inherit genes that elevate Colon Cancer risks as well as having shared environmental factors. The most common inherited syndromes corresponding with colorectal cancer are Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) and Hereditary non-polyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC) or Lynch Syndrome (Mayo Clinic 2013). A change in the APC gene causes FAP. APC is a tumor suppressor gene that generally regulates cell growth; this mutation prevents ACP from stopping cell growth (American Cancer Society, 2014).HNPCC is caused by mutations in genes that help cell repair in DNA, MLH1, MSH2, MLH3,MSH6, PMS1, or PMS, this means that when DNA replicates there are no enzymes to check and fix errors in the DNA (American Cancer Society, 2014). Though there are many risk behaviors for Colon cancer there are ways to reduce and prevent Colon Cancer from developing. You should get tested for colon cancer every 5 years, exercise regularly, watch your weight, do not smoke, limit alcohol, and have a diet that consists of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains because these foods have been
Colon cancer is a type of Gastrointestinal cancer found in the lower part of the digestive system: large intestine. …show more content…
Colon cancer can develop and any age, but the risk of developing it increases with age. Figure 2 is a graph that shows the percent of new cases of Colon cancer between different ages. Also studies show that African Americans have the highest incidence of Colon Cancer in the U.S. Being overweight can increase the chances of developing Colon cancer as well. There are some lifestyle choices that can affect the risk of developing Colon Cancer. For example, diets high in red and processed meats, cooking meats at high temperatures creates chemicals linked to colon cancer, lack of physical activity, smoking, and heavy alcohol use. People with type II diabetes may also have an increased risk of developing colon cancer as well as people with an history of inflammatory bowel disease (Cancer Treatment Centers of America, 2001). People can inherit genes that elevate Colon Cancer risks as well as having shared environmental factors. The most common inherited syndromes corresponding with colorectal cancer are Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) and Hereditary non-polyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC) or Lynch Syndrome (Mayo Clinic 2013). A change in the APC gene causes FAP. APC is a tumor suppressor gene that generally regulates cell growth; this mutation prevents ACP from stopping cell growth (American Cancer Society, 2014).HNPCC is caused by mutations in genes that help cell repair in DNA, MLH1, MSH2, MLH3,MSH6, PMS1, or PMS, this means that when DNA replicates there are no enzymes to check and fix errors in the DNA (American Cancer Society, 2014). Though there are many risk behaviors for Colon cancer there are ways to reduce and prevent Colon Cancer from developing. You should get tested for colon cancer every 5 years, exercise regularly, watch your weight, do not smoke, limit alcohol, and have a diet that consists of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains because these foods have been