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→Natural History & Prevention
[[Image:colonpolyp.gif|right|thumb|200px|Progression of colon polyp to cancer]]
[[Image:colonpolyp.gif|right|thumb|200px|Progression of colon polyp to cancer]]
Most colon cancer start off as benign '''colon polyps'''. As these polyps grow, the cells in them can become abnormal, and eventually cancerous. At some point after that, they can gain the ability to invade the rest of the body and spread (or ''metastasize'') to distant organs. The progression from polyp to invasive cancer usually takes about 10 years, making screening for the disease a life-saving procedure.
Most colon cancer start off as benign '''colon polyps'''. As these polyps grow, the cells in them can become abnormal, and eventually cancerous. At some point after that, they can gain the ability to invade the rest of the body and spread (or ''metastasize'') to distant organs. The progression from polyp to invasive cancer usually takes about 10 years, making screening for the disease a life-saving procedure.
Most colon cancers arise after the age of 50, at which time '''screening''' is recommended. There are, however, several inherited types of colon cancer, the most important of which are '''hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC)''' and '''Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)'''. People with these conditions require earlier and more frequent screening. Also, people with '''Ulcerative Colitis''' are very susceptible to colon cancer and must be screened early and often.
==Symptoms & Diagnosis==
==Symptoms & Diagnosis==