The Question Everyone is Asking – How Do You Get Colon Cancer?

Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers. It has been called the silent killer because at one time it was rarely detected before it reached advanced stages. Today, with colonoscopies, doctors can detect pre-cancerous growths in the colon, and are often able to prevent colon cancer from developing. However, without regular testing, colon cancer is remains difficult to detect, which is why doctors recommend people over 35 get a colonoscopy every 5-10 years.
Unfortunately, at this point doctors and scientists don’t know how people get colon cancer. There are a few hereditary genetic conditions that make it more likely to get colon cancer, but they don’t actually cause colon cancer.
Every cell in the body is replaced every 7 years, but some cells get replaced a lot more quickly. Colon cells are constantly dividing and replacing themselves. Sometimes, something goes wrong, and a mutation occurs causing colon cells to start dividing a lot faster than they are supposed to, which causes polyps to form. Polyps are little growths of extra cells. They come in different shapes and sizes, but a good way to think of them is as skin tags in the colon.
No one knows why these mutations occur that cause polyps, but most polyps are totally harmless. Unfortunately, some polyps develop into precancerous cells. Again, no one knows why. It is these precancerous cells that doctors are looking for when they perform a colonoscopy. If they find them, they can remove them and the potential cancer never develops. If a colonoscopy isn’t done regularly or if the doctor missed a patch of precancerous cells, then colon cancer will form.
Because no one knows what causes colon cancer, there isn’t anything that can be done to reduce the risk of developing colon cancer or prevent it from developing. That’s why getting regular colonoscopies, to detect precancerous cells as soon as possible, are the best protection.