You may be embarrassed asking what some terms associated with colon cancer mean. Especially when you hear classmates joking about proctologists (doctors specializing in the diseases of the colon, rectum, and anus). Remember that the colon, large intestine, and rectum are just as vital to the body’s workings as the stomach or kidneys!

Barium enema: A chemical called barium is put into the rectum, and then x-rays are taken of the area. This helps the doctor to visually check the health of the large intestine, colon, and rectum.

Biopsy: The cutting of a bit of tissue from the body, which will be looked at under a microscope (or tested in some way). This is an essential procedure so that the doctor can tell if the tissue the sample came from is a benign (in other words, friendly and harmless) growth, or cancer.

Carcinoma & Colon cancer: Cancer that develops on the organ lining. Most information on colon cancer really refers to colon carcinoma (cancer on the lining of the large intestine), as opposed to other rarer forms of the disease.

Colonoscope: A fiber-optic tube that is very flexible and has a tiny camera attached, used to look inside of the patient’s large intestine.

Colonoscopy: This is the medical procedure most recommended for people at risk of colon cancer. It’s basically a way for the doctor to see the lining of the large intestine. The patient is usually sedated, and the doctor inserts a “colonoscope” (a very tiny camera) into the rectum. During the procedure the doctor can do more than just look – he or she can actually snip off any “polyps” (tissue that may be cancerous or turn into cancer).

Colorectal cancer: A more inclusive term, including cancers in the large intestine, the colon, and the rectum.

Colostomy: Basically a “redirection” of waste products. After a surgical procedure has been done, (such as the removal of a section of the colon) the surgeon may decide to redirect waste products from the intestine to outside the body (into a colostomy bag, which collects waste). This allows the body to properly heal. In most cases the colostomy is only temporary.

Fecal occult blood test: This is a test that looks for blood in the stool. It’s an important test because polyps, which often turn into cancerous growths, can lead to microscopic amounts of blood.

High-fiber: Many doctors believe that a diet high in fiber will help to prevent colon cancer. High-fiber is basically lots of fruits and veggies – lots of plant matter that contains cellulose, the part of plants that we humans can’t break down (so it passes out of the body as roughage).

Polyps: These are growths on the lining of the colon or rectum which generally grow on a stalk. Usually polyps aren’t cancerous, but as a person grows older they can turn into cancerous growths. That’s why doctors perform a “colonoscopy” – to snip off these potentially dangerous growths.

Sigmoidoscopy: This is basically a “colonoscopy” on a smaller scale. Part of the colon, the large bowel, and the rectum are examined with a tiny camera.

Virtual colonoscopy: This is like a “colonoscopy” but is used to obtain pictures rather than to cut polyps. A series of x-rays are taken to give the doctor a view of the lower gastrointestinal tract. This way the doctor can see if there are polyps on the colon. The drawback is that if there ARE polyps, the doctor cannot remove them during the procedure.