Sporadic cancer is a cancer that develops at random and does not have genetic predisposition. Familial polyposis is a genetic syndrome in which there are greater 1,000 polyps in the colon and a high risk of malignant degeneration. First-degree relative is a mother, father, sibling or children. A barium enema is an x-ray examination of the colon. Colonoscopy is a direct visualization of the colon with a flexible sigmoidoscope.
Most colon cancers are asymptomatic in the early or, at times, even the later stages of development.
Change in bowel habit with either constipation or diarrhea developing. Obstruction such as change in the caliber or size of the stool. Inherited syndromes have an increased risk for coloncancer and should be screened more intensely. If more than 3 cancers of either uterus, ovary, kidney or colon develop in a family, this should also be suspected as possible inherited syndrome. Screening be fecal occult stool for blood yearly at the age of 50 and a flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years after 50.