DID YOU KNOW that not counting skin cancers, colon cancer is the 3rd most common cancer found in men and women in this country?  The risk of a person having colon cancer in their lifetime in about 1 in 19.  The purpose of the Joanna A. Nichols Dance for the Cause organization is to raise awareness of this silent disease that can steal precious time from a loved one and to raise funds that will go directly for colon cancer research.  Our hope is to put an end to this disease. 

Most people with early colon cancer do not have any symptoms.  Symptoms usually are seen with more advanced disease.  Early detection is the key!

Signs and symptoms of colon cancer:

1. a change in bowel habits such as diarrhea, constipation, or narrow stool that lasts for more than a few days
2. a feeling that you need to have a bowel movement that doesn't go away after doing so
3. rectal bleeding, dark stools, or blood in the stool
4. cramping or stomach pain
5. weakness and tiredness

While we do not know the exact cause of most colon cancers, there are certain known risk factors.  Some of these risk factors are under your control and some of them are not.

Risk factors that are NOT under your control:

1. Age
2. Having had polyps or colon cancer before
3. Having a history of bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease
4. Family history of colon cancer
5. Certain family syndromes such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC)
6. Race or ethnic background.  African Americans and Jews of Eastern European descent have a higher colon cancer risk. 

Risk factors that ARE under your control:

1. A diet high in red meats and processed meats
2. Lack of exercise
3. Overweight
4. Smoking
5. Alcohol
6. Diabetes

EARLY DETECTION IS IMPORTANT IN PUTTING AN END TO COLON CANCER!  Colon cancer begins with a growth (a polyp) that is not yet cancer.  Testing can help your doctor tell if there is a problem, and some tests can find polyps before they become cancer.  If colon cancer is found, you have a good chance of beating it with treatment if it is found early.  Preventing colon cancer, and not just finding it early, should be a major reason for getting tested.  Finding and removing polyps keeps some people from getting colon cancer.  If you have any of the symptoms or risk factors listed above, then you should discuss these with your doctor to determine the appropriate type of test needed.