Dr. Lee was born in Shanghai, China, and received his college and medical training in the United States. He is fluent in English and three Chinese dialects. He graduated with chemistry departmental honors from Harvey Mudd College. He was appointed president of AOA society at UCLA School of Medicine. He underwent internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship training at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.
Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
At the time, I had no idea anything at all was wrong. I just knew it was time for a colonoscopy. In
fact it was past time, since I was 61 years old.
I don't remember the procedure itself. What I do remember is waking up at home and Kim, my husband, telling me that they'd found a tumor at the very far end of my colon and that the doctor wanted to speak to me when I was awake and ready to talk. I called the doc right away. The doctor told me that he was totally surprised when he found the tumor, that it was being biopsied, and that he asked them to rush the results.
No matter what the outcome of the biopsy; the tumor had to be removed, the doc said. He asked who I wanted to do the surgery. I somehow remembered that a lady I play golf with is a nurse for a gastro practice. I called her and found out who she'd ask for if she needed colon surgery. Once I got a name, I called my gastroenterologist back, told him who I wanted, and asked for an appointment.
Cancer is a group of more than 100 different diseases.
They affect the body's basic unit, the cell. Cancer occurs when
cells become abnormal and divide without control or order. Like
all other organs of the body, the colon and rectum are made up
of many types of cells. Normally, cells divide to produce more
cells only when the body needs them. This orderly process helps
keep us healthy.
If cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed,
a mass of tissue forms. This mass of extra tissue, called a growth
or tumor, can be benign or malignant.
Benign tumors are not cancer. They can usually be
removed and, in most cases, they do not come back. Most important,
cells from benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body.
Benign tumors are rarely a threat to life.
Malignant tumors are cancer. Cancer cells can invade
and damage tissues and organs near the tumor. Also, cancer cells
can break away from a malignant tumor and enter the bloodstream
or lymphatic system. This is how cancer spreads from the original
(primary) tumor to form new tumors in other parts of the body.
The spread of cancer is called metastasis.
When cancer spreads to another part of the body,
the new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells and the same
name as the primary tumor. For example, if colon cancer spreads
to the liver, the cancer cells in the liver are colon cancer cells.
The disease is metastatic colon cancer (it is not liver cancer).
What is cancer of the colon and rectum?
The colon is the part of the digestive system where
the waste material is stored. The rectum is the end of the colon
adjacent to the anus. Together, they form a long, muscular tube
called the large intestine (also known as the large bowel). Tumors
of the colon and rectum are growths arising from the inner wall
of the large intestine. Benign tumors of the large intestine are
called polyps. Malignant tumors of the large intestine are called
cancers. Benign polyps do not invade nearby tissue or spread to
other parts of the body. Benign polyps can be easily removed during
colonoscopy and are not life-threatening. If benign polyps are
not removed from the large intestine, they can become malignant
(cancerous) over time. Most of the cancers of the large intestine
are believed to have developed from polyps. Cancer of the colon
and rectum (also referred to as colorectal cancer) can invade
and damage adjacent tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also
break away and spread to other parts of the body (such as liver
and lung) where new tumors form. The spread of colon cancer to
distant organs is called metastasis of the colon cancer. Once
metastasis has occurred in colorectal cancer, a complete cure
of the cancer is unlikely.
Globally, cancer of the colon and rectum is the third
leading cause of cancer in males and the fourth leading cause
of cancer in females. The frequency of colorectal cancer varies
around the world. It is common in the Western world and is rare
in Asia and Africa. In countries where the people have adopted
western diets, the incidence of colorectal cancer is increasing.
Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
Rectal bleeding (hematochezia) refers to the passage of bright red blood from the anus. Rectal bleeding may be moderate to severe and most bleeding comes from the colon, rectum, or anus. Common causes include anal fissures, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, and more.
Constipation is defined medically as fewer than three stools per week and severe constipation as less than one stool per week. Constipation usually is caused by the slow movement of stool through the colon. There are many causes of constipation including medications, poor bowel habits, low fiber diets, abuse of laxatives, hormonal disorders, and diseases primarily of other parts of the body that also affect the colon.
Lymph nodes help the body's immune system fight infections. Causes of swollen lymph nodes (glands) may include infection (viral, bacterial, fungal, parasites). Symptoms of swollen lymph nodes vary greatly. They can sometimes be tender, painful or disfiguring. The treatment of swollen lymph nodes depends upon the cause.
Though uterine cancer's cause is unknown, there are many factors that will put a woman at risk, including: over age 50, endometrial hyperplasia, using hormone replacement therapy, obesity, using tamoxifen, being Caucasian, having colorectal cancer. Symptoms of cancer of the uterus (endometrial cancer) include abnormal vaginal bleeding, painful urination, painful intercourse, and pelvic pain. Treatment depends on staging and may include radiation therapy or hormone therapy.
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammation of the colon. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. Ulcerative colitis is closely related to Crohn's disease, and together they are referred to as inflammatory bowel disease. Treatment depends upon the type of ulcerative colitis diagnosed.
Ascites, the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity is most commonly caused by cirrhosis of the liver. Some of the other causes of ascites include portal hypertension, congestive heart failure, blood clots, and pancreatitis. The most common symptoms include increased abdominal girth and size, abdominal bloating, and abdominal pain. Treatment depends on the cause of ascites.
Inflammation of the inner lining of the colon is referred to as colitis. Symptoms of the inflammation of the colon lining include diarrhea, pain, and blood in the stool. There are several causes of colitis including infection, ischemia of the colon, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, Ulcerative colitis, or microscopic colitis). Treatment depends on the cause of the colitis.
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
A colon polyp is a benign tumor of the large intestine. Benign polyps do not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body. Benign polyps can easily be removed during colonoscopy and are not life threatening. If benign polyps are not removed from the large intestine, they can become malignant over time.
Anal cancer, cancer located at the end of the large intestine, has symptoms that include anal or rectal bleeding, anal pain or pressure, anal discharge or itching, a change in bowel movements, and/or a lump in the anal region. Treatment for anal cancer may involve radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery and depends upon the stage of the cancer, its location, whether cancer is eradicated after the first treatment, and whether the patient has HIV.
Though it's difficult to say why some people develop cancer while others don't, research shows that certain risk factors increase a person's odds of developing cancer. These risk factors include growing older, family history of cancer, diet, alcohol and tobacco use, and exposure to sunlight, ionizing radiation, certain chemicals, and some viruses and bacteria.
Digestion is the complex process of turning food you eat into the energy you need to survive. The digestive process also involves creating waste to be eliminated, and is made of a series of muscles that coordinate the movement of food.
Gardners' syndrome, or familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), is an inherited condition in which cancer of the colon and rectum develop. Colon polyps and growths may develop as early as the teens. If these polyps are not removed, they will become cancerous. There are different inheritance patterns for familial adenomatous polyposis.
Most often, caregivers take care of other adults who are ill or disabled. Less often, caregivers are grandparents raising their grandchildren. The majority of caregivers are middle-aged women. Caregiving can be very stressful, so it's important to recognize when it's putting to much strain on you and to take steps to prevent/relieve stress.
Disease prevention in men includes routine screening tests that are part of basic prevention medicine. Take an active role in your own health care and discuss screening tests with your doctor early in life. Age of screening and timing of screening depends upon the condition being assessed.
Disease prevention in women includes screening tests that are a basic part of prevention medicine. All screening tests
are commonly available through your general doctor. Some specialized tests may be available elsewhere.
Endometrial cancer, or uterine cancer, affects the endometrium of the uterus. It's the most common invasive cancer of the female reproductive system. Risk factors include smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, taking estrogen-only hormone therapy, early menstruation, late menopause, and never being pregnant.
Your health care provider may refer you to a genetic professional. Universities and medical centers also often have affiliated genetic professionals, or can provide referrals to a genetic professional or genetics clinic. Genetic counseling provides patients and family members the tools to make the right choice in regard to test for a disease or condition.
Chemotherapy (also called chemo) is a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to destroy cancer cells.
How does chemotherapy work?
Chemotherapy works by stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells, which grow and divide quickly. But it can also harm healthy cells that divide quickly, such as those that line your mouth and intestines or cause your hair to grow. Damage to healthy cells may cause side effects. Often, side effects get better or go away after chemotherapy is over.
What does chemotherapy do?
Depending on your type of cancer and how advanced it is, chemotherapy can:
Cure cancer - when chemotherapy destroys cancer cells to the point that your doctor can no longer detect them in your body and they will not grow back.
Control cancer - when chemotherapy keeps cancer from spreading, slows its growth, or destroys cancer cell...
At the time, I had no idea anything at all was wrong. I just knew it was time for a 
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