Colon Cancer in Spanish

What it means

Colon cancer is cancer that forms in the tissues of the colon, the longest part of the large intestine. MedlinePlus explains that cancer that begins in the colon is called colon cancer, cancer that begins in the rectum is called rectal cancer, and cancer that affects either of these parts may also be called colorectal cancer. The colon absorbs water and some nutrients from foods and changes the leftover waste products into stool. According to the National Cancer Institute, most colon cancers are adenocarcinomas, cancers that begin in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids. Colorectal cancer may not always cause symptoms, especially at first, and screening tests look for signs of a disease before there are any symptoms.

Spanish term: Cáncer de colon
Gender and article: masculine: el cáncer de colon
Pronunciation: KAHN-sehr deh KOH-lohn

Other Spanish terms	Where it is used	Note
cáncer colónico	General	Other name given by the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary at the end of its entry for cáncer de colon.

Cáncer de colon is the form in both MedlinePlus en español and the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary, which adds that it is also called cáncer colónico. It takes the masculine article: el cáncer de colon. The Real Academia Española dictionary enters colon as a masculine noun for the portion of the large intestine that ends where the rectum begins.

MedlinePlus en español explains the naming the same way as the English page: cancer that begins in the colon is cáncer de colon, cancer that begins in the rectum is cáncer de recto, and cancer affecting either part may also be called cáncer colorrectal, written with a double r. Its page title joins the two as cáncer del colon y del recto. Related words on that page are intestino grueso (large intestine), heces (stool), pólipos (polyps), pruebas de detección (screening tests), hábitos intestinales (bowel habits) and colonoscopias (colonoscopies).

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Clinician	Has anyone in your family had colon cancer or colon polyps?	¿Alguien en su familia ha tenido cáncer de colon o pólipos en el colon?
Patient	Yes, my mother had colon cancer when she was sixty.	Sí, mi madre tuvo cáncer de colon a los sesenta años.
Patient	I have seen blood in my stool for the past two weeks.	He visto sangre en las heces durante las últimas dos semanas.
Clinician	Have you noticed any change in your bowel habits, such as diarrhea or constipation?	¿Ha notado algún cambio en sus hábitos intestinales, como diarrea o estreñimiento?
Patient	I have lost weight without trying.	He bajado de peso sin proponérmelo.
Clinician	I am going to order a colonoscopy for you.	Voy a pedirle una colonoscopia.
Patient	At what age should I start screening tests?	¿A qué edad debo empezar con las pruebas de detección?
Patient	If they find a polyp, will they take a sample for a biopsy?	Si encuentran un pólipo, ¿van a tomar una muestra para una biopsia?

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Colon Cancer
Spanish (Español)	Cáncer de colon
Chinese (中文)	結腸癌
Korean (한국어)	대장암
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Ung thư đại tràng
Filipino (Tagalog)	Kanser sa colon
Portuguese (Português)	Câncer de cólon
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	มะเร็งลำไส้ใหญ่
Japanese (日本語)	結腸がん

Where you'll see it

oncology reportreferralchartmedical record

Related ICD-10-CM category

ICD-10-CM code: C18 → Malignant neoplasm of colon

Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Digestive system

All terms in this area: Digestive system — Sistema digestivo

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.