Colon Function
The colon is responsible for assisting the filtering of waste products that the body produces. The colon is the upper part of the large intestine and acts as a last chance stop for the body to remove nutrients, water and salt from the waste products. It makes up about 5 to 6 feet of the and is divided into five parts--ascending, transverse, descending, sigmoid and redundant. The colon has no digestive enzymes, so it must rely on bacteria to break down waste products and release nutrients and water for absorption.
Development
Although an exact cause is unknown, it is thought that most colon cancer is developed from adenoma polyps that can exist in the colon. These polyps are common to the colon area and are not dangerous when benign. However, if they are left alone, they could become malignant and cause cancer. Hyperplastic polyps also pose a risk to cancer development, especially if they are on the right side of the colon.
Physical Damage
If tumors develop into the colon, they can greatly reduce the absorption of water and salt from the waste, increasing chances of dehydration and weakness. They can also leave room for increased bacterial infection by causing physical damage. Waste products that aren't broken down can cause tears in the digestive system, exposing it to harmful bacteria.
Chain Reaction
Tumors that completely obstruct the colon path can cause a "back up" of the digestive system, affecting other organs, such as the liver. If waste products are left in the bloodstream and digestive tract, the liver must work extra hard to break them down and fight any toxic build-up due to waste products not properly removed. By expending these resources, the liver may not have enough additional resources to fight other toxins prevalent in the body. Damage begins to mount along the liver, slowly destroying its tissue.
Metastasized Cells
Metastasized colon cancer cells can spread to other body parts and cause cancer development in them. The liver, kidneys and rectum are frequent targets. The lungs can also become a target. Metastasized cells in the lungs will destroy the lung tissue, causing shortness of breath and more oxygen deprivation.
Tags: waste products, cancer development, cause cancer, digestive system, from waste, large intestine