Colon Cancer is also known as Colorectal Cancer, Bowel Cancer, and Rectal Cancer.

In this article we will refer to this disease as Colon Cancer.

It is the one of the most common cancer in the World. It occurs in both men and women and is most often found in those over 50 years of age. One in 20 people can expect to get this cancer at some point in their lives.

If Colon Cancer is detected early there is a good chance of survival. Most professionals in this field believe that it is essential that patients undergo screening for early detection of precancerous conditions. There is a home test kit available that allows you to carry out these tests in private. The test is used to detect small amounts of bleeding that sometimes occur from Colon Cancer. The test is known as the Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT).

The colon and rectum are parts of the body’s digestive system, which removes nutrients from food and stores waste until it passes out of the body. Together, the colon and rectum form a long, muscular tube called the large intestine (also called the large bowel) below the stomach. The colon is the first 6 feet (1.8 m) of the large intestine, and the rectum is the last 8 to 10 inches (200 – 250mm).

Research shows that Colon cancer develops gradually from normal growths benign polyps) on the lining of the colon and rectum. These normal growths are not cancer. They are fairly common in people over age 50. They often can be removed and, in most cases, they do not come back. Cells in these normal growths do not spread to other parts of the body. Most important, these growths are rarely a threat to life, although some types of growths increase a person’s risk of developing Colon cancer.

A normal growth becomes cancerous by virtue of the cells making up a growth becoming malignant. Cells in malignant growths are abnormal and divide without control or order. These cancer cells can invade and destroy the tissue around them. Cancer cells can also break away from a malignant growth. They may enter the bloodstream or the tissues and organs that produce and store cells that fight infection and disease (lymphatic system). This process, (called metastasis), is how cancer spreads from the original (primary) cancerous growth to form new (secondary) cancerous growths in other parts of the body.

Diet. Colon cancer seems to be associated with diets that are high in fat and calories and low in fibre. Researchers are exploring how these and other dietary factors play a role in the development of Colon cancer. An interesting article published in Science on 17th May 2003 indicated that Vitamin D may be crucial in Preventing Colon Cancer. Vitamin D is found in Fish Liver Oil, and is available as softgel capsules or as a liquid.

It has been suggested that the consumption of dietary supplements rich in the active ingredients found in Wasabia japonica and, to a lesser extent, other Brassicas enables the human body to discard the mutating cells through the natural waste processes of the body. This appears to be borne out by research – see below.

Recognizing Symptoms of Colon Cancer

Common signs and symptoms of Colon cancer include:

• A change in bowel habits. Changing from going to the toilet once a day to twice or more per day, or to once every two or three days. Even a change in your normal toilet time could be a symptom.
• Diarrhea, constipation, or feeling that the bowel does not empty completely.
• Blood (either bright red or very dark) in the stool. The presence of blood can be easily checked for by using an inexpensive home test kit.
• Stools that is narrower than usual. This is subjective of course, no need for a ruler.
• General abdominal discomfort (frequent gas pains, bloating, fullness, and/or cramps).
• Weight loss with no known reason.
• Constant tiredness.
• Vomiting.

These symptoms may be caused by Colon cancer or by other conditions. It is important to check with a doctor.

Potential Alternatives to Surgery

Aspirin: Taking daily aspirin for as little as three years was shown to reduce the development of colorectal polyps by 19 percent to 35 percent in people at high risk for colorectal cancer in two randomized, controlled clinical trials published in New England Journal of Medicine.

Wasabia japonica: The active ingredients in this difficult to grow plant have been found to kill colon cancer cells and others. The health benefits have been collected here.

Capsules of this potent extract are only available here.

Cartilage: There are clinical trials underway for both bovine and Shark Cartilage. A number of active ingredients have been identified as being worthy of further investigation.

Hydrazine Sulfate: There have been clinical studies done on this substance, mainly in Russia, that indicate that this might be of some benefit to some colon cancer sufferers. However, there does not appear to be a supplier of this product available. Maybe ask your doctor about its availability.

Mistletoe Extract: Clinical trials on this extract has produced meaningful results for a number of different types of cancer. In most cases there has been slowed tumour growth and an improved mean survival rate for cancer sufferers.

Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV): The NDV is injected into tumours and has been found to be effective enough that a vaccine is to be tested on humans. Success against Colon Cancer was achieved when NDV was injected into the colon via the colostomy tube.

Although not a treatment the use of a Colon Cleaner on a regular basis may be useful as a preventative measure.

The treatments in this category encompass a whole range of treatments which may or may not be any use to the Colon Cancer sufferer. We have also included those treatments that have been shown to have some scientific basis relating to prevention or destruction of cancer cells. Some of these products are available as “dietary supplements”.

Latest information on Preventing Colon Cancer

Researchers in 2014 say they can now show how vitamin D has the power to protect some people from getting colorectal cancer, otherwise known as bowel cancer.

A study found that vitamin D boosts the immune system’s defenses against tumor cells.

“People with high levels of vitamin D in their bloodstream have a lower overall risk of developing colorectal cancer,” says lead researcher Shuji Ogino, MD, PhD, from Harvard School of Public Health. “Laboratory research suggests that vitamin D boosts immune system function by activating T [immune] cells that recognize and attack cancer cells.”

Vitamin D is obtained naturally by being in sunlight. So you don’t need to take supplements unless you stay out of the sun all the time.

Interesting that all the new research points towards the fact that boosting the natural immune system (by whatever means) is the solution to getting rid of cancer, or at least controlling it. 🙂

Reference Papers

Functional properties of wasabi and horseradish. K. Kinae, N Masuda, H. Shin, I.S. Furugori, M. Shimoi. Biofactors. 2000; 13(1-4): 265-9 0951-6433.

6-Methylsulfinylhexyl isothiocyanate and its homologues as food-orginated compounds with antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. M. Ono, H. Tesaki, S. Tanabe, S. Watanabe. Biosci-Siotechnol-Biochem. 1998 Feb; 62(2): 363-5 0916-8451.

The effect of 6-Methylsulfinylhexyl isothiocyanate isolated from Wasabia Japonica (wasabi) on 4-(methylinitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-buatnone-induced lung tumorigenesis in mice. T. Yano, T. Yajima, S. Virgona, N. Yano, Y. Otani, S.Kumagai, H. Sakurai, H. Kishimoto, M. Ichikawa. Caner-Lett. 2000 Jul 31; 155(2): 115-20 0304-3835.

Suppressive effect of wasabi (pungent Japanese spice) on gastric carcinogenesis induced by MNNG in rats. T. Tanida, N. Kawaura, A. Takahashi, A. Sawada, K. Shimoyama. Nutr-Cancer. 1991; 16(1): 53-8 0163-5581.

Antiplatelet and anticancer isothiocyanates in Japanese domestic horseradish, wasabi. T.Morimitsu, Y. Hayashi, K. Nakagawa, Y. Horio, F. Uchida, K. Osawa. Biofactors. 2000; 13(1-4): 271-6 0951-6433.

A sulforaphone analogue that potently activates the Nrf2-dependent detoxification pathway. Koji Morimitsu, Yasujiro Nakagawa, Yoko Hayashi, Kazuhiro Fujii, Hiroyuki Kumagai, Takeshi Nakamura, Yoshimasa Osawa, Toshihiko Horio, Fumihiko Itoh, Ken Iida, Katsuyuki Yamamoto, Masayuki Uchida. J-Biol-Chem. 2002 Feb 1; 277(5): 3456-63 0021-9258.

Metabolism of sinigrin (2-propenyl glucosinolate) by the human colonic microflora in a dynamic in vitro large-intestinal model. Sylvie Krul, Cyrille Humblot, Christele Philippe, Catherine Vermeulen, Martijn van Nuenen, Marleen Havenaar, Robert Rabot. Carcinogenesis. 2002 Jun; 23(6): 1009-16 0143-3334.

Effect of naturally occurring organosulfur compounds on nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages. Hisao Ippoushi, Katsunari Itou, Hidekazu Azuma, Keiko Higashio. Life-Sci. 2002 Jun 14; 71(4): 411-9 0024-3205.

Dietary compounds that induce cancer preventative phase 2 enzymes activate apoptosis at comparable doses in HT29 colon carcinoma cells. D.P. Kirlin, W.G. Cai, J. DeLong, M.J. Patten, E.J. Jones. J-Nutr. 1999 Oct; 129(10): 1827-35 0022-3166.

Human metabolism and excretion of cancer chemoprotective glucosinolates and isothiocyanates of cruciferous vegetables. P. Shapiro, T. A. Fahey, J.M. Wade, M.L. Stephenson, K.K. Talslay.Cancer-Epidemiol-Biomarkers-Prev. 1998 Dec; 7(12): 1091-100 1055-9965.

Studies on the mechanism of the inhibition of human leukaemia cell growth by dietary isothiocyanates and their cysteine adducts in vitro. F.J. Xu, K. Thornalley. Biochem-Pharmacol. 2000 Jul15; 60(2): 221-31 0006-2952.

Antibacterial mechanism of allyl isothiocyanate. C.I. Lin, C.M. Preston. J.F. Wei. J-Food-Prot. 2000 Jun; 63(6): 727-34 0362-028X.

Formation of allyl isothiocyanate from sinigrin in the digestive tract of rats monoassociated with a human colonic strain of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. A. Elfoul, L. Rabot, S. Khelifa, N. Quinsac, A. Duguay, A. Rimbault. FEMS-Microbiol-Lett. 2001 Apr 1; 197(1): 99-103 0378-1097.

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Allyl isothiocyanate is selectively toxic to transformed cells of the human colorectal tumour line HT29. I.T. Musk, S.R. Johnson. Carcinogenesis. 1993 Oct; 14(10): 2079-83 0143-3334.