Certain factors raise the risk of colorectal cancer. These include:
- Age – most cases occur in individuals over age 65.
- Gender – men are at a higher risk of colorectal cancer than women.
- Diet – those who have a regular high proportion of fibre and low proportions of saturated fat have a lower risk of bowel cancer. A diet high in red or processed meats raises risk of bowel cancer.
- The obese and overweight are at a greater risk of bowel cancer.
- Those who lead a more sedentary life with little exercise are at a higher risk.
- High alcohol intake and smoking raise risk of bowel cancer.
- Family history and inherited conditions may raise the risk in some individuals .
Colon cancer can have many symptoms. However, in the early stages, people with colon cancer often have no symptoms at all. This is why regular screening beginning at 50 is an important investment in your healthy future.
Colon cancer symptoms come in two general varieties:
1. Systemic Colon Cancer Symptoms
Systemic colon cancer symptoms are those that affect your whole body, such as weight loss, and include:
- Unintentional weight loss (losing weight when not dieting or trying to lose weight)
- Loss of appetite
- Unexplained fatigue (extreme tiredness)
- Nausea or vomiting
- Anemia (low red blood cell count or low iron in your red blood cells)
- Jaundice (yellow color to the skin and whites of the eyes)
2. Local Colon Cancer Symptoms
Local colon cancer symptoms affect your bathroom habits and the colon itself. Some of the more common local symptoms of colon cancer include:
- Changes in your bowel habits, such as bowel movements that are either more or less frequent than normal
- Constipation (difficulty having a bowel movement or straining to have a bowel movement)
- Diarrhea (loose or watery stools)
- Intermittent (alternating) constipation and diarrhea
- Bright red or dark red blood in your stools or black, dark colored, "tarry" stools
- Stools that are thinner than normal ("pencil stools") or feeling as if you cannot empty your bowels completely
- Abdominal (midsection) discomfort, bloating, frequent gas pains, or cramps
9 Colon Cancer Nursing Diagnosis Nanda
1. Constipation Impaction; Obstipation
related to obstructive lesions
2. Acute Pain / Chronic
related to tissue compression secondary to obstruction
3. Fatigue
related to anemia and anorexia
4. Imbalanced Nutrition: Less than Body Requirements
related to nausea and anorexia
5. Deficient Fluid Volume
related to vomiting and dehydration
6. Anxiety
related to surgical planning and diagnosis of cancer
7. Deficient Knowledge : the diagnosis, surgical procedures and treatments themselves after coming home
8. Impaired skin integrity
related to surgical incision (abdominal and perianal), stoma formation, and faecal contamination of the skin and periostomal
9. Disturbed Body Image
related denngan colostomy.