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A Research Project On Colon Cancer

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Research Project Outcome

Colon cancer claims the lives of 12 Australians each day and is the second largest cancer killer (1). Colon cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer in the Australian population after the age of 50. It is essential that Australian men and women are aware of the aggressiveness and severity of the disease (2) and the primary preventative methods. The Indigenous Australian population, in comparison to the non-indigenous population, have a higher prevalence of the disease and experience higher mortality rates (3). Due to the lack of medical resources and awareness, men and women living in rural areas have an increased risk of developing colon cancer (4). For these reasons, I have decided to conduct an investigation on the significance, the primary preventative methods and the impact they can have on the health and awareness of the Australian population.

I conducted my initial research by investigating the internet and books, both of which encompassed the anatomy of the stomach and allowed me to gather a greater understanding of Colon Cancer. Bowel cancer is a malignant growth that develops most commonly in the lining of the large bowel. The vast majority of bowel cancers develop from growths called 'polyps '. Not all polyps become cancerous. The larger that a polyp grows, the more likely it is to become malignant (cancerous). Polyps can be easily re moved without surgery by a procedure called a colonoscopy (inspection of the bowel with a

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