Colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer, also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum. It is the consequence of uncontrolled growth of colon cells that can invade/spread to other parts of the body. Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel movements, weight loss, pain and . Most colorectal cancers are due to lifestyle factors and disorders. Risk factors include diet, , smoking, and lack of physical activity. Dietary factors that increase the risk include red meat, processed meat, and alcohol. Another risk factor is bowel disease, which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative . Some of the inherited genetic disorders that can cause colorectal cancer include adenomatous polyposis and non-polyposis colon cancer; however, these represent less than 5% of cases. It typically starts as a tumor, often in the form of a polyp, which over time becomes cancerous.
Underlined words are explained — tap any of them.
Symptoms — what it feels like
- ·Blood in stool
- ·change in bowel movements
- ·unintentional weight loss
- ·vomiting
- ·
Causes — why it happens
- ·Lifestyle factors and disorders
Prevention
- · from age of 45 to 75
Treatment
- ·
- · therapy
- ·
- ·targeted therapy
Across the cancer gene set (BRCA1, BRCA2, MLH1, MSH2, TP53), 108 -'' are actually seen in South Asians () - many European-absent and still clinically 'uncertain'. For colorectal cancer, that's a pool of computationally-damaging, India-relevant, clinically-unresolved variants no one has systematically characterised.
A study that would help: Take the South-Asian-observed, European-absent, ClinVar-uncertain in BRCA1, BRCA2, MLH1, MSH2, TP53 and triage them for colorectal cancer: functional assays or family segregation to move them from 'uncertain' to a real call. Each reclassified is a usable diagnostic result.