Colon Cancer Explained: What You Can Do to Identify and Prevent It

Colon cancer is now a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. In the past few years, colorectal or colon cancer (not to be confused with stomach or gastric cancer) has become a hot topic with news of celebrities -- such as Chadwick Boseman -- dying after battling the disease. In 2025, the American Cancer Society estimates that there will be about 107,320 new cases of colon cancer in the US, with 54,510 new cases in men and 52,810 in women. And while colon cancer rates dropped by about 1% each year from 2012 to 2021, this was mostly in older adults. For people younger than age 55, rates have increased by 2.4% each year from 2012 to 2021. New research in April sparked further conversation around gut bacteria and colon cancer. The study published in the journal Nature suggests that certain strains of bacteria, such as E. coli, can then produce a bacteria toxin called colibactin. Studies as far back as 2006 have concluded that colibactin can alter the DNA of colon cells, increas ... Read full article.