Introduction
Each year in Canada, about 16,000 (about 1 in 15) people develop
cancer of the colon. The colon refers to
the large intestine, also known as the large bowel, and the rectum.
Often, the term "colorectal cancer" is used to describe
a cancer in either the colon or the rectum.
What is hereditary colon cancer?
As we age, the cells that line the colon are damaged by environmental
factors (such as diet) and as a normal part of the aging process.
Over a lifetime, this damage accumulates, and can lead to colon
cancer. In the general population, it is believed that this is how
the majority of colon cancer begins. However, in some families,
there are many people who have been diagnosed with colon cancer-
many more than you would see in an average family. Research has
found that about 5% of all colon cancer is hereditary.
This means that there is a gene
running in the family that is increasing the risk of colon cancer.
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