Colon cancer starts in the colon and can spread to your rectum. This is why colon cancer is usually under the umbrella term of colorectal cancer, as both your large intestine and your rectum can be affected by this disease, depending on how advanced the cancer is. The American Cancer Society has estimated that about one in twenty-three men and one in twenty-five women will develop colorectal cancer in their lifetimes. Read on to find out more about this debilitating disease.
Stages of Colon Cancer
There are five stages of colon cancer. Stage 0 is also known as carcinoma in situ, and the abnormal cells are only in the inner lining of the colon or rectum. Stage 1 is where cancer has entered the mucosa or the lining of the colon or rectum and may have grown into the muscle layers. Stage 2 is where cancer has spread to the walls of the colon or rectum, or through the walls to nearby tissues. Stage 3 is where cancer has moved to the lymph nodes but not to other parts of the body. Stage 4 is where cancer has spread to other distant organs like the liver or the lungs.
Recommended For You
