Colonic Diseases

Your colon, also known as the large intestine, is part of your digestive system. It's a long, hollow tube at the end of your digestive tract where your body makes and stores stool. Many disorders affect the colon's ability to work properly. Some of these include

• Colorectal cancer
• Colonic polyps - extra tissue growing in the colon that can become cancerous
• Ulcerative colitis - ulcers of the colon and rectum
• Diverticulitis - inflammation or infection of pouches in the colon
• Irritable bowel syndrome - an uncomfortable condition causing abdominal cramping and other symptoms

Treatment for colonic diseases varies greatly depending on the disease and its severity. Treatment may involve diet, medicines and in some cases, surgery.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

External Resources

Ramenofsky, Ann F. - Curriculum vitae of this University of New Mexico Associate Professor. Research interests include analytical methods, Spanish colonization and epidemic disease.

Prevent-Cancer: Colon Cancer Risks - Shows the risk of personal disease based on quiz answers, and finds local specialists and testing centers based on a zip-code look-up.

Tackle Colon Cancer - Details the partnership of corporate and public service entities to highlight risk factors and symptoms of disease.

Lori Shelton Alliance for Colon Cancer Awareness - Non-profit aims to increase knowledge of the disease and to encourage colonoscopy as a detection tool. Located in St. Louis, Missouri.

Dekalb Surgery Center - About the surgical procedures for breast cancer, gallbladder and colon disease. Decatur and Lithonia, GA.

Advanced Body Scan - A Newport Beach, California imaging center utilizing EBCT Scanner for the detection of heart disease, lung and colon cancer, osteoporosis and non-invasive coronary angiography.

Hackensack Digestive Disease Associates - Clinic based in Northern New Jersey focused on gastrointestinal disease. Site offers patient information on colon cancer.

Dr. James Gianfrancisco - Surgical clinic based in Justice, Illinois focuses on diseases of the colon and recftum. The site provides information about diseases of the colon and rectum.

Iberia Gastroenterology Associates & Acadiana Surgery Center - Clinic in New Iberia, LA specializinbg in diseases and disorders of the esophagus, stomach, liver, colon, gallbladder, and pancreas. This includes colon cancer screening and non-surgical management of gallstones and bleeding ulcers.

Norwich GI Associates, PC - GI practice in Norwich, CT specializing in colon cancer screening, peptic ulcer disease, acid reflux, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, diseases of the liver, gallbladder and pancreas, nutritional disorders and disorders of malabsorption.