| cancer, colon | A malignant tumour arising from the inner wall of the large intestine. The third leading cause of cancer in males, fourth in females in the U.S. Risk factors for cancer of the colon and rectum (colorectal cancer) include heredity, colon polyps, and long standing ulcerative colitis. most colorectal cancers develop from polyps. Removal of colon polyps can prevent colorectal cancer. Colon polyps and early cancer can have no symptoms. Therefore, regular screening is important. Diagnosis can be made by barium enema or by colonoscopy with biopsy confirmation of cancer tissue. Surgery is the most common treatment for colorectal cancer. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| cancer, colon: screening and surveillance | Colon cancer is both preventable and curable. It is preventable by removing precancerous colon polyps. It is curable if early cancer is surgically removed before cancer spread to other parts of the body. Therefore, if screening and surveillance programs were practiced universally, there would be a major reduction in the incidence and mortality of colon cancer. (12 Dec 1998) |
| colon cancer | <oncology> A malignancy that arises from the lining of either the colon or the rectum. Cancers of the large intestine are the second most common form of cancer found in males and females. Symptoms include rectal bleeding, occult blood in stools, bowel obstruction and weight loss. Treatment is based largely on the extent of cancer penetration into the intestinal wall. Surgical cures are possible if the malignancy is confined to the intestine. Risk can be reduced when following a diet which is low in fat and high in fibre. (27 Sep 1997) |
| colon cancer and polyps | Benign tumours of the large intestine are called polyps. Malignant tumours of the large intestine are called cancers. Benign polyps do not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body. Benign polyps can be easily removed during colonoscopy, and are not life threatening. If benign polyps are not removed from the large intestine, they can become malignant (cancerous) over time. most of the cancers of the large intestine are believed to have developed from polyps. (12 Dec 1998) |
| colon cancer, family history of | Colorectal cancer can run in families. The colon cancer risk is higher if an immediate (first-degree) family member (parents, siblings or children) had colorectal cancer and even higher if more than one such relative had colorectal cancer or if a family member developed the cancer at young age (younger than 55 years). Under any of these circumstances, individuals are recommended to undergo a colonoscopy every three years starting at an age that is 7-10 years younger than when the youngest family member with the cancer wasdiagnosed. For example, if a parent had colon cancer diagnosed at age 50, colonoscopy should start in that person's children at 40-43 years of age. (12 Dec 1998) |
| absolute risk | <statistics> The excess risk due to exposure to a specific hazard (disease, injury, etc.) (15 Jan 1998) |
| acceptable risk | <statistics> This relates to the potential for suffering disease or injury that will be tolerated by an individual, group, or society in exchange for the benefits of using a substance or process that will cause such disease or injury. Acceptability of risk depends on scientific data, social, economic, and political factors, and on the perceived benefits arising from a chemical or process that creates the risk in question. (15 Jan 1998) |
| attributable risk | The rate of a disease or other outcome in exposed individuals that can be attributed to the exposure. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cardiac risk | A term to describe overall risk of developing heart disease (blockage of the coronary arteries). Typical risk factors include: diabetes, high blood pressure, prior heart attack, high cholesterol, obesity, smoking and a family history for heart attacks in parents or siblings. (27 Sep 1997) |
| recurrence risk | In medical genetics, the recurrence risk is the chance that a genetic (inherited) disease present in the family will recur in that family and affect another person (or persons). It is the chance of lightning striking twice (or thrice, etc.). (12 Dec 1998) |
| glaucoma, risk factors | If you belong to a high-risk group for glaucoma, have your eyes examined through dilated pupils every 2 years by an eye care professional. High-risk groups include everyone with a family history of glaucoma, everyone over the age of 60 and any Black over the age of 40. (Among Blacks, studies show that glaucoma is: 5 times more likely to occur in Blacks than in Whites and about 4 times more likely to cause blindness in Blacks than in Whites). (12 Dec 1998) |
| relative risk | <epidemiology> The proportion of diseased people amongst those exposed to the relevant risk factor divided by the proportion of diseased people amongst those not exposed to the risk factor. This should be used in those cohort studies where those with and without disease are followed to observe which individuals become diseased. (05 Dec 1998) |
| risk | The probability that an event will occur. It encompasses a variety of measures of the probability of a generally unfavorable outcome. (12 Dec 1998) |
| risk assessment | The qualitative or quantitative estimation of the likelihood of adverse effects that may result from exposure to specified health hazards or from the absence of beneficial influences. (12 Dec 1998) |
| risk benefit | An analysis of risk versus benefit is a complex assessment that must be made by a physician prior to the administration of a particular form of drug therapy. Since many medications may have side effects that can be harmful (during the course of treatment), the overall risk of a particular form of drug therapy must be weighed against the overall threat of the untreated disease process (or treatment with an altenative drug). (27 Sep 1997) |