Colon cancer is one of the commonest cancers affecting both man and women. In Hong Kong, it is the third commonest cancer and the third commonest cause of cancer death. Every year, more than 2,000 Hong Kong people are found to have colon cancer. People over 40 years of age are more likely to develop this cancer, and the risk increases as we grow older. The average age of colon cancer sufferers in Hong Kong is 60 years old.
Colon is a muscular tube forming the last two metres of the body's digestive system.
Rectum is the short tube leading down from the end of the colon to the back passage. We don't know for certain what causes colon cancer. Some food may help protect us from colon cancer, while others may help it develop. There is growing evidence that a high fat and low fibre diet is related to colon cancer. The level of risk depends on the number of close relatives with colon cancer and their age of developing cancer.