Expertinnen/Experten
- internistic
Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Seufferlein
Ärztlicher Direktor der Klinik für Innere Medizin I (Speiseröhre, Magen, Darm, Leber und Niere sowie Stoffwechselerkrankungen) und Sprecher des Darmzentrums
Dr. med. Thomas J. Ettrich
Oberarzt, Leiter Schwerpunkt GI-Onkologie, Leiter des klinischen Studienzentrums GI-Onkologie
Schwerpunkte
Gastrointestinale Onkologie, Klinische Studien
Dr. med. Angelika Kestler
Funktionsoberärztin, Fachärztin für Innere Medizin und Gastroenterologie, Palliativmedizin, Ärztliche Referentin für GI-Onkologie am CCCU
Schwerpunkte
Gastrointestinale Onkologie, Privatambulanz Prof. Seufferlein
- Surgical
Prof. Dr. med. Marko Kornmann
Stellv. Ärztlicher Direktor/ Koordinator Viszeral-Onkologisches Zentrum
Schwerpunkte
Bereichsleitung Bauchspeicheldrüsen-, Magen- und Speiseröhrenchirurgie
- radiooncological
Description of the disease
Colon cancer is the most common cancer in the gastrointestinal tract. Colon carcinoma refers to malignant tumours of the large intestine.
Frequency and age of onset
Malignant bowel tumours account for around 14% of all malignant neoplasms in adults. In Germany, around 27,000 men and 30,000 women are diagnosed with carcinomas of the colon every year.
It is the third most common carcinoma in men and the most common in women. With a mean age of onset of almost 70 years, colon carcinoma is predominantly a disease of older people, with a particularly marked increase after the age of 50.
The vast majority of malignant tumours in the bowel develop in the large intestine, the so-called colon. Around 95% of all bowel tumours are carcinomas (also known as colon carcinoma or adenocarcinoma of the colon). The remaining 5% are neuroendocrine tumours, squamous cell carcinomas, lymphomas and small cell carcinomas.
Colon carcinomas usually develop from polyps of the colon mucosa. Around 64% of carcinomas are found in the sigmoid colon and rectum, 20% in the left colon, 6% in the transverse colon and around 10% in the right colon.
Causes and risk factors
Most colon carcinomas develop from polyps as part of a so-called adenoma-carcinoma sequence over the course of 5-10 years. In addition, there are familial syndromes with an increased risk of carcinoma, which account for around 5-6% of colorectal carcinomas.
Exogenous (external influences): Low physical activity, obesity, possibly dietary factors (red meat, alcohol consumption)
Endogenous (internal influences): Ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, colorectal intraepithelial neoplasia = adenomas
Genetic (hereditary): Positive family history (1st degree relatives with colorectal carcinoma (CRC) or adenomas), hereditary (inherited) cancer syndromes.
Signs of illness
As a rule, colon carcinomas rarely cause symptoms in the early stages and are therefore usually discovered by chance. Occasionally, abdominal pain, intestinal discomfort or constant fatigue occur. However, these symptoms are often due to harmless causes. If occult blood is found in the stool as part of a screening examination using a stool test, this leads to a colonoscopy being carried out, which can result in a diagnosis of colon cancer. Visible blood in the stool or a black discolouration of the stool can also be an indication of colon cancer.