What Causes Colon Cancer?
6. Disease Process
The risk factors mentioned earlier, along with the causes, can lead to colon cancer. The disease progresses in what can be classified in stages. The first stage, or stage 0, is known as carcinoma in situ. If found at this stage, colon cancer can be treated easily.
Stage 1 indicates that the colon cancer has progressed and invaded the next layer of colonic tissue but has not reached the lymph nodes or metastasized yet. Stage 2 means that the cancer has invaded all the layers of the colon but has not spread outside of it. At stages 3 and 4, the colon cancer will have spread to other areas of the body.
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