I am sorry for always ignoring your importance, even though you are responsible for the dirtiest job in my body. I thought I can keep you healthy by eating lots of fiber and drinking plenty of water everyday. Did you know that you and your buddy, rectum, can have cancer? The medical terminology for your cancer is colorectal cancer. You are also called the large intestine that is responsible for bowel storage/movement, water absorption, and reabsorption of salt and some nutrients for my daily living. It can all begin without me knowing. Whether you develop into cancer or not depends on the tissue growth in you. There are two major types of polyps in you. Polyps, some benign clumps of cells, can be small and may produce some symptoms at the colon or rectal lining and may grow into the colon or rectal wall (Colon, 2015). Most of it starts from adenomatous polyps that means usually no pain or any discomfort until they become cancerous over time. Other kinds of colon polyps are hyperplastic polyps and inflammatory polyps. They are generally not pre-cancerous; however, some doctors believe that hyperplastic polyps can become pre-cancerous and their existence in the ascending colon is a sign of increased colorectal cancer risk (What, 2015). You may also turn into cancer with a condition called, dysplasia, the lining of the colon or rectum with abnormal cells when viewed under a microscope. People with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's Disease are the high risk population for dysplasia (What, 2015). When either the polyps or dysplasia are in the wall of the colon or rectum, they can grow into the blood vessels or lymph vessels. The only way to detect them is to undergo regular screening test to prevent the development of cancer by identifying the polyps before they become cancerous (Colon, 2015). My grandmother succumbed to colon cancer before I was born. I must take good care of you in order not to lose you. Thank you very much for your hard work and keep up the good work! By the way, March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month. I will spread the word!
Yours sincerely,
Jumbo
Reference:
Colon cancer. (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2015, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/colon-cancer/basics/definition/con-20031877
What is colorectal cancer? (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2015, from http://www.cancer.org/cancer/colonandrectumcancer/detailedguide/colorectal-cancer-what-is-colorectal-cancer
