In women endometrial cancer is related to colon cancer. This type of cancer is the second leading cause of death due to cancer in the United States. Most colon cancers are adenocarcinomas that develop from the glandular cells. Ninety percent of all colon cancer cases will develop in individuals after 50 years of age. Ninety percent of all tumors arise from polyps that are commonly found in people older than 50.
Prevention includes regular exercise and a diet high in fiber.
The most important risk factor is age. Medical screening includes a yearly blood occult test after age 50 and a colonoscopy every 3 years after age 50. Regular screening detects polyps that have become precancerous. If regular screening is not done, the cancer is not detected until blood is found in the feces or other symptoms appear including intestinal blockage. By this time the tumor has developed and a section of the colon must be removed.