1. What is the difference between colon cancer and rectal cancer?
Colon and rectal cancers are actually very similar — but the difference lies in what part of the large intestine the cancer affects. The colon and rectum make up a long, muscular tube that most people know as the large intestine. The first part of the large intestine is the colon and at the end of it is the rectum.

Cancers in the colon and rectum usually grow slowly and may start as benign polyps. These polyps are found during a colonoscopy, and early removal of polyps may prevent it from becoming cancer. Over 95 percent of colon and rectal cancers start in the cells that line the inside of the large intestine.

Cancer of the colon and/or rectum is the third leading cause of cancer in men and the fourth leading cause of cancer in women worldwide.

2. Who is at risk for colorectal cancer?
There are several risk factors for developing cancer of the colon and/or rectum including:

• Age — people aged 50 and over should be screened, with frequency depending on medical history;
• Medical history — a personal history of polyps or colorectal cancer increases your risk;
• Family history — a family history of colon cancer also raises your risk of developing the disease;
• Inherited syndromes — certain syndromes such as Familial Adenosis Polyposis (FAP) also increase your chances of developing colorectal cancer;
• Ethnicity — Studies have shown higher incidence of colorectal cancer in African-Americans and Ashkenazi Jews;
• Diet & lifestyle — diets high in red meat and overcooked foods, smoking, obesity, heavy alcohol consumption are all risk factors;
• Overall health — underlying conditions like type 2 diabetes can increase your chances of developing colon and/or rectal cancer.

3. What is the treatment and survival rate for rectal cancer?
Surgery is usually the most common treatment for stages I, II and III rectal cancer — although radiation and chemotherapy will often be given before surgery to try and shrink the tumor and kill off cancerous cells in affected tissue.

There are several types of surgery for rectal cancer. Stage IV rectal cancer is treated primarily with chemotherapy and palliative surgery, if necessary. Palliative surgery provides a treatment that will relieve a problem (such as a bowel obstruction) but does not lead to a cure.  In the case of obstruction, a colostomy surgery would be performed.

4. What does it mean to have a permanent colostomy bag?
Colostomy is a surgical procedure that brings a portion of the large intestine (colon) through the abdominal wall. Waste (stools) moving through the colon drain into a bag that is attached to the abdomen. It is done when the cancer is removed from the rectum or to bypass an obstruction caused by colon cancer. 
 
Contrary to people’s perception, having a colostomy bag is hygienic and can be very discreet because the bag can be well-hidden under clothing.
 
For some patients suffering from rectal cancer, colostomy surgery may be part of a curative treatment, while for others, it may be relief for an incurable situation. But either way — patients who are candidates for this procedure often see significant improvements in their quality of life.

5. What do you think about the trend of patients trying to treat themselves with herbal remedies?
I think that including alternative treatments with conventional medicine can be very beneficial to patients as long as it’s under the guidance of a medical doctor who supports this course of treatment and monitors a patient’s progress and overall health. I certainly don’t think that alternative treatments should replace conventional therapy and patients need to be careful because there are a lot of scams out there that may or may not be harmful, and can take a financial toll.

6. What are some of the reasons a person might seek alternative treatment?
One of the most effective uses of alternative medicine in cancer patients is to alleviate pain associated medical treatment. For example, acupuncture has been proven to help with pain and other negative side effects like nausea brought on by chemotherapy or surgery. Certain types of relaxation therapy can relieve anxiety associated with a course of conventional treatment. And there are some natural herbs that aid in calming nausea or vomiting — which are often side effects of chemotherapy.

So for patients who want to use alternative medicine to alleviate negative side effects of medical treatment or to enhance the healing effects of conventional therapy — physician-monitored alternative treatments can help. But again, there is no evidence to support alternative therapies being used in place of conventional medicine — whereas we have a wealth of evidence supporting the effects of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery in the treatment of cancer.

8. What advice do you have for people thinking of skipping out on medical treatment and trying alternative therapies for cancer?
Often when people are initially diagnosed with cancer, they often don’t feel sick (especially if the cancer is caught early) so a lot of times, the thought of going through medical treatment seems beyond the realm of comprehension.

There are no regulations for alternative treatments, and in most cases, no proof they work. If doctors give a medication and patients have severe negative side effects — that medication is studied and pulled from the market. But with a lot of these herbal remedies, there is no proof that these treatments work. Each patient is different and each situation is different. So what a patient really needs to consider when they talk to their doctor about their diagnosis, is how much they really want to risk.

It comes down to what your current treatment options are, and their effect on your quality — and ultimately quantity — of life.

Dr. Cynara Coomer is an assistant professor of surgery specializing in breast health and breast cancer surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. She is a FOX News Health contributor providing medical expertise on a variety of topics in cancer research with a focus on women’s health, breast diseases and tips for healthy breasts at any age.

If your goal is to lose weight without hunger, improve your energy, and reduce your risk of disease the solution is here.  Two-thirds of American adults are overweight, half of them obese.  After a decade of low-fat and low-carb diets, Americans are heavier than ever. With The F-Factor Diet, you won’t focus on which foods you must omit, instead you focus on adding food into your diet in order to lose weight and keep it off. 

What is fiber and why should we eat it?
Fiber has zero calories (it’s the indigestible part of carbohydrates).  After a decade of banishing carbs from your diet, The F-Factor Diet teaches you how to eat carbs and still lose weight!  While the calories on the F-Factor Diet are low (which is ultimately what leads to weight loss), you would never know it because the fiber-rich foods keep you feeling so full. 

There are numerous benefits to eating more fiber beyond just losing weight. Studies show that fiber-rich foods not only help you to lose weight but increase your chances of longevity. High-fiber diets alleviate constipation and reduce the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, adult onset diabetes, colon cancer, breast cancer and hypertension. 

Dietary fiber comes in two forms: soluble and insoluble.  Although you should get both soluble and insoluble fiber in your diet every day, there is no need to fixate on one type or the other. Because most whole plant foods contain both types of fiber, just increasing your intake of foods high in total fiber will provide you with beneficial amounts of both.  Soluble fiber swells in your stomach, providing bulk and giving you a feeling of fullness. Good sources of soluble fiber include dried beans and legumes, oatmeal, oat bran, barley and citrus fruits. Soluble fiber also has cholesterol-lowering properties because it acts like a sponge, absorbing cholesterol and pulling it out of your body.  Insoluble fiber, usually referred to as roughage, includes the woody or structural parts of plants such as broccoli, apples, wheat bran, and whole-grain cereals. Insoluble fiber tends to speed up the passage of material through the digestive tract and help reduce the risk of colon cancer and diverticular disease. It is often referred to as “nature’s broom.”

How much fiber should we be consuming?
Despite the ADA (American Dietetic Association) recommendation that Americans eat 30-35g of fiber per day, the typical American only eats 9-11g of fiber per day.  People often think of fiber as dry and tasteless, but currently fiber is being touted as a wonder-nutrient. Now, one could integrate fiber into their diets by choking down tall glasses of Metamucil, but that’s certainly not the most pleasant — or tasty — way to get one’s fiber. Take a look below at a before and after sample day of delicious meals with fiber:

                                                            Calories          Fiber (g)

BREAKFAST

Typical Breakfast

Granola (1/2 cup)                                  230                   3

Sliced banana                                            90                    2

Total                                                          320                  5

High-Fiber Breakfast

Fiber One cereal (1/2 cup)                60                     14

Blueberries (3/4 cup)                          60                     5

Total                                                         120                  19

 Fight food cravings with high-fiber cereal.

 LUNCH

Typical Lunch

Turkey sandwich on white

bread with mayonnaise                          265                   0

Potato Chips (1 oz)                                    150                   0

Total                                                             365                  0

High-Fiber Lunch

Turkey sandwich on whole-

wheat bread with

lettuce, tomato and

mustard                                                  195                   10

Soy chips (1 oz)                                     70                     2

Total                                                    265                  12

 Fiber and protein at every meal makes losing weight no big deal.

SNACK

Typical Snack

2 oz. pretzels                                      230                   0

Total                                                    230                  0

 High-Fiber Snack

1 oz. pistachios                                  65                   3

8 dried apricot halves                   60                     4

Total                                                   225                  7

 High-fiber snacks fill you up without filling you out.

DINNER

Typical Chinese Takeout

Wonton Soup                                        125                   0

Kung Pao Chicken                                1170                 4

White Rice (1 cup)                                240                   1

Total                                                    1535                5

High-Fiber Chinese Takeout

Vegetable Soup                                     40                     2

Chicken and Broccoli                          250                   6

Brown Rice (1 cup)                               240                   4

Total                                                        530                  12

 Avoid late-night snacking with a high-fiber dinner.

 TOTAL DAY (From meals above)

Typical Day                                         2450 Calories             10g Fiber

High-Fiber Day                                   1140                            50g Fiber

 The more fiber a food has, the fuller you feel, making you less likely to overeat throughout the day.  In addition, most high-fiber foods have few calories.  Eating high-fiber foods is the secret to losing weight without hunger.

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and founder of www.Skinnyandthecity.com.    She is also the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

The topic of anal cancer has gotten a lot of media attention lately because of Farrah Fawcett’s very public battle with the disease. And it’s raised a lot of important questions about advances in cancer treatment and the future for patients fighting the battle of their lives.

What is anal cancer and who is at risk for it?

Anal cancer is characterized by the growth of a tumor around the anus ― which is opening at the end of the intestinal tract — and it’s completely different from colon cancer. A large proportion of anal cancers have tested positive for human papillomavirus (HPV), which is a sexually transmitted disease, but this isn’t the only cause.

Other patient populations at a greater risk for developing anal cancer include patients with multiple sexual partners, those who participate in anal intercourse, smokers, people with immunosuppressive diseases, such as HIV, and people with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases.

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What is the treatment for anal or intestinal cancer?

If it’s caught early, the most common treatment for anal cancer is surgery. But in patients whose cancer affects the anal sphincter, having surgery to remove the tumor and cancerous cells can lead to fecal incontinence causing the need for a permanent colostomy. So often for these patients, radiation and chemotherapy may be the preferred course of treatment. For later stage anal cancers, doctors treat patients with a combination of radiation and chemotherapy.

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What is the cure rate for anal cancer?

Well ― like any cancer, early detection greatly increases the chance of survival. If it’s caught in the early stage, there is an 86 percent five year survival rate. If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, the survival rate decreases to 54 percent. Up to 10 percent of patients treated for anal cancer will develop cancer elsewhere in the body.

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What kind of advances are we making in cancer research?

We have made advances with regard to the surgical treatment of cancers by offering minimally invasive surgeries. In some cases, we’re able to provide surgical treatments with less negative side effects and shorter recovery time. Clinical studies have shown that other treatments like radiation and chemotherapy may be just as effective as surgery without many of the negative side effects.

With regard to medical treatments, there have certainly been advances in the kinds of treatments we’re using. New medical technologies are making it possible for doctors to individualize a patient’s treatment by studying the genetic makeup of their particular cancer — ultimately decreasing the chances of recurrence or spread of the cancer, and increasing a patient’s survival outcome.

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What are the major milestones/accomplishments we’ve seen in cancer research recently?

Well again, one of the major milestones is being able to identify the genetic makeup of cancers individual to each patient.

The other advancement is the research that’s been done in molecular-targeted therapies. These therapies target the development of cancers by inhibiting the growth of the disease at the cellular level — which we hope will be able to limit or potentially even stop the cancer from spreading.

Molecular-targeted therapy is a more specific treatment than chemotherapy, because chemo treatment kills off not only the bad cells — but also the healthy cells in the body. So with a therapy that is very specific in its attack of cancerous cells, the hope is that it should more be effective in stopping the development of the cancer.

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What are some tips for preventing cancer?

We’ve all heard it time and time again — good health comes from making healthy choices. So my first tip would be stop smoking! I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, cigarettes are full of cancer-causing agents and have been linked to the development of many cancers in the body.

Second, everything in moderation including alcohol! If you’re the kind of person who enjoys a nice cocktail, make sure you do it in moderation, which means 1 or 2 glasses — preferrably of red wine — or else,  just avoid alcohol all together.

Make healthy dietary choices. Try to maintain a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and fruits and vegetables. Both provide essential nutrients and antioxidants which help ward off disease. Limit the amount of read meat you consume, since high levels of it have been linked to certain cancers.

Recent studies have shown that vitamin D may play an important role protecting against the development of certain diseases. Because exposure to small amounts of sunlight causes the body to produce healthy amounts of vitamin D, people who live in cold environments or places with extended seasons of darkness may want to consider getting their vitamin D levels checked and taking supplements.

And finally — know your family history so you can better determine your risk for other cancers, because your screenings for certain cancers may start earlier than what is recommended to the general population, and preventive therapies may be an option for you.

Dr. Cynara Coomer is an assistant professor of surgery specializing in breast health and breast cancer surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. She is a FOX News Health contributor providing medical expertise on a variety of topics in cancer research with a focus on women’s health, breast diseases and tips for healthy breasts at any age.

Beans—a whole host of varieties—have been part of the Latin American diet for centuries. And yes, it’s true: Beans are good for your heart! But there’s so much more. Beans are extremely beneficial in an antidiabetic diet because they rank low on the glycemic scale—unlike “staples” in the American diet like refined grains and baked goods, which often cause the inflammatory, hunger-inducing spike in blood sugar levels. They could even help with lowering the risk of colon cancer. Legumes (dried beans and peas) are also a major source of several nutrients—magnesium, potassium, folate, and cholesterol-lowering fiber—most often missing in Americans’ diets.

That said, here’s the second Latin powerfood on my list…

GARBANZO BEANS: These delicious beans are very high in fiber, which will improve your elimination cycles and support the growth of health intestinal flora. They are very low in natural sugar content, and high in complex carbohydrate content and protein, giving you a steady source of high-quality fuel for balanced energy throughout your day. They also have a warming effect on your body and a calming effect on your mind. Garbanzo beans are used in cooking throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Make sure to check back tomorrow when we tackle the Latin fruit category!