Pathophysiology

Adenocarcinoma of the rectum arises as an intramucosal epithelial lesion, usually in an adenomatous polyp or
gland. As cancers grow, they invade the muscularis mucosa, lymphatic structures, and vascular structures and
involve regional lymph nodes, adjacent structures, and distant sites, especially the liver.

Many factors increase the risk for rectal cancer, including the following 1 :

 High-fat, low-fiber diet

 Age greater than 50 years
 Personal history of colorectal adenoma or carcinoma (3-fold greater risk)
 First-degree relative with colorectal cancer (3-fold greater risk)
 Familial polyposis coli, Gardner syndrome, and Turcot syndrome (in which all patients without a
colectomy develop colorectal carcinoma)
 Juvenile polyposis syndrome, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, and Muir syndrome (risk increased slightly)
 Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (as many as 50% of patients are affected)
 Inflammatory bowel disease
o Ulcerative colitis (risk is 30% after 25 y)
o Crohn disease (4- to 10-fold risk)

Pathophysiology
 Tumors of the colon arise as intramucosal epithelial lesions, usually in adenomatous polyps or glands.
As cancers grow, they invade the muscularis mucosa and lymphatic and vascular structures to involve
regional lymph nodes, adjacent structures, and distant sites, especially the liver

http://www.scribd.com/doc/27883155/pathophysiology-of-adenocarcinoma-moderately-differentiated

http://nursingcareplan.blogspot.com/2009/07/ncp-nursing-diagnosis-excess-fluid.html