Anatomy and physiology

The colon is one of the important organs of the digestive system. It helps the body absorb
water and nutrients from food before getting rid of waste. It is made up of muscles and is
.located just below the stomach

The colon is about 5 feet (150 cm) long, and is divided into four major parts. It is the
.ascending colon, the transverse colon, the descending colon, and the sigmoid colon

The main role of the colon is to process food that the body cannot digest for digestion.
Specifically, it absorbs electrolytes and vitamins,for example, potassium, chloride, and
.water , forming stool and pushing it into the rectum for excretion

The colon starts from the (caecum), which is the enlarged area at the end of the small
intestine, to reach the upper right side from the abdomen to be (the ascending colon), and
across to the left side to be (the transverse colon), going down the left side to be (the
descending colon) and then to the existing rings in the sigmoid colon to connect to the
rectum. The inner wall of the colon is covered with a mucous membrane that helps absorb
fluids and water and also secretes a mucous substance that helps pass waste. The deep
muscular layer consists of the circular muscles and the longitudinal muscles. The circular
muscles create light, jumbled, and inconsistent bowel movements. As for the longitudinal
muscles, they create many and strong contractions in the huge muscles that help in the
movement of waste. The colon serves to absorb remaining salts and fluids, as well as soften
and store waste until it is ready to be excreted from the body. Absorption of material often
happens in the ascending and transverse region, where fluid from the small intestine is
.drained to form a faecal mass

:Definition of terms

*:Colon Cancer*

Colon cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the large intestine and often begins in the
form of small non-cancerous masses of cells called ((polyps)) that are located or formed
.inside the colon. Over time, some of these polyps can turn into colon cancers

Most often, small polyps produce few if any symptoms and are not obvious. Many doctors
advise regular check up to help preventing colon cancer. This happens by identifying and
.removing polyps before they become cancerous

*:ascending colon*
 The colon begins at the (ascending colon), its a structure located in the retroperitoneum
that rises superiorly from the cecum. It turns 90 degrees when it meets the right lobe of the
.liver and moves laterally

*:Transverse colon*

It starts from the right flexor cumulus and extends to the spleen, after which it move 90
degrees and heads down. This bend is known as the left Mongolian flexion. In this area, the
colon is connected to the diaphragm by the ((colonic ligament)). This part of the colon is the
.least stable, and is variable in position

*:descending colon*

After flexion of the left colon, the colon begins to move downward towards the pelvis and
it is called ((descending colon)). It is located behind the peritoneum in most individuals. It is
. located at the front of the left kidney and moves over lateral borders of it

*:Sigmoid colon*

It is 40 cm long, in the lower left quadrant of the abdomen, and extends from the left iliac
fossa to the S3 vertebra. This journey gives the characteristic "S" shape to the sigmoid
colon. It is also attached to the posterior wall of the pelvis by the mesentery. The long
.mesentery allows this part of the colon to move in a special way