Like all cancers, colon cancer starts when something goes wrong with the way cells normally divide and grow. Normal cells divide and grow in an orderly way to keep the body healthy and functioning properly. When the cell growth and division process gets out of control, many extra cells are produced---more than the body needs. These unneeded cells sometimes accumulate to form precancerous masses, or clumps. When this process occurs in the colon or rectum, the precancerous cell masses that form along the wall of the colon and are called polyps. After a long period of time---usually several years---polyps can become cancerous, resulting in colon cancer.
Although the exact cause of abnormal cell growth in the colon is not known, certain risk factors for developing colon cancer have been identified. Some risk factors can't be controlled, while others have to do with lifestyle choices.
Colon cancer risk factors that can't be controlled include age, a history of colon cancer or polyps, genetics and a history of bowel disease. The risk of getting colon cancer increases with age, and, according to the Mayo Clinic, 90 percent of people who develop colon cancer are over 50. Young people can get colon cancer, but it is not common. People who have already had colon cancer have a greater chance of getting the disease in the future. Having a large number of polyps also increases the risk of developing colon cancer, as does having an inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. A person with a close family member who has had colon cancer has an increased risk of getting colon cancer, especially if the family member got the cancer before age 60.
Lifestyle risk factors for colon cancer include diet, lack of exercise, obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption and having diabetes. Although there are conflicting studies regarding the role of diet in colon cancer, a low-fiber and high-fat diet has been associated with increased chances of developing the disease. Lack of exercise causes waste to stay in the colon longer, which may contribute to cancer. Obese people are not only at greater risk for getting colon cancer, their chances of dying from the disease are also greater. People who smoke or consume large amounts of alcohol have a greater risk of getting colon cancer, as do those with diabetes and insulin resistance.
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