Stage III colon cancer has spread beyond the wall of the colon to nearby lymph nodes, but it has not reached distant organs. While this stage is more advanced than earlier stages, it remains curable for many people through a combination of surgery and chemotherapy.

Stage 4 colon cancer occurs when cancer that starts in the colon spreads to other parts of the body. While this advanced stage presents significant challenges, modern treatments including surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and immunotherapy are helping more people live longer with better quality of life.

A colonoscopy is a medical procedure that can save your life by finding and removing growths before they turn into cancer, and it remains the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening and diagnosis.

Colorectal adenocarcinoma is the most common type of cancer that develops in the large intestine, affecting the colon and rectum. While it often begins without noticeable signs, regular screening and early detection can significantly improve treatment outcomes and survival rates.

Colorectal adenomas are abnormal growths that form in the lining of the colon or rectum. While most are harmless, they are considered precancerous because they have the potential to develop into colorectal cancer over time. About 50% of people develop these growths, but fewer than 10% of them become cancerous. Early detection through screening can prevent cancer by allowing doctors to remove adenomas before they turn dangerous.

Colorectal cancer is a disease that starts in the colon or rectum, parts of your digestive system. While it’s the third most common cancer, regular screening and early detection can prevent it from developing or find it when treatment works best.

Metastatic colorectal cancer occurs when cancer that starts in the colon or rectum spreads to other parts of the body, most commonly the liver and lungs. While this advanced stage presents serious challenges, new treatments and approaches are helping patients live longer and with better quality of life.

Stage II colorectal cancer has spread into the outer layers of the colon or rectum but has not yet reached the lymph nodes or other organs, making it one of the better prognosis cancers when treated appropriately.

Stage III colorectal cancer has spread into nearby lymph nodes, but has not reached other areas of the body. With treatment involving surgery and often chemotherapy, many patients can be cured.

Stage 4 colorectal cancer represents the most advanced form of the disease, where cancer has spread beyond the colon or rectum to distant organs. Despite the serious nature of this diagnosis, advances in treatment now offer more options and improved survival rates compared to previous decades.

Colour blindness, more accurately called color vision deficiency, is a condition where you see colors differently than most people. While many think it means seeing no color at all, most people with this condition simply have trouble distinguishing between certain colors, especially reds and greens.

Coma is a state of prolonged unconsciousness where a person cannot be awakened or respond to their surroundings. It requires immediate medical attention and can result from various causes, including head injuries, stroke, infections, or complications from conditions like diabetes.

Combined immunodeficiencies are a group of rare genetic disorders that affect both major types of infection-fighting white blood cells, making it difficult for the body to defend itself against infections.

Complex regional pain syndrome is a challenging neurological condition that causes severe, long-lasting pain—usually in an arm, leg, hand, or foot—that is far worse than expected from the original injury. While this condition can significantly impact daily life, early recognition and treatment offer the best chance for improvement and recovery.

Complicated appendicitis is a severe form of appendix inflammation where the organ has progressed to gangrene, perforation, or abscess formation, requiring urgent medical attention and specialized treatment approaches.

Heart transplantation is a life-saving treatment for people with end-stage heart failure, but it comes with special challenges that require lifelong care and monitoring. While medical teams have years of experience in recognizing and treating these complications, patients play a critical role in managing their health after receiving a new heart.

After receiving a kidney transplant, patients face various complications ranging from organ rejection to infections and surgical problems. Understanding these challenges and maintaining careful follow-up care is essential for long-term transplant success.

Compulsive sexual behaviour is an intense focus on sexual fantasies, urges or behaviours that can’t be controlled, causing distress and problems in relationships, work, health and other areas of life. While debate continues about how to classify it, treatment and self-help approaches can help people manage these behaviours and regain control.

Congenital absence of bile ducts is a rare liver condition affecting newborn babies, where the tubes that carry bile from the liver are blocked, damaged, or missing. Without proper treatment, this condition can quickly lead to serious liver damage and requires urgent medical attention.

Congenital aplastic anaemia is a rare inherited disorder where the bone marrow fails to produce enough blood cells from birth or early childhood, requiring careful diagnosis and specialized treatment.

Congenital arterial malformation is an abnormal tangle of blood vessels present at birth, where arteries connect directly to veins without the normal capillaries in between. This rare condition can occur anywhere in the body and may cause serious complications including bleeding, tissue damage, and strain on the heart.

Congenital cystic kidney disease is a group of birth defects affecting the kidneys and urinary system, where fluid-filled sacs develop in place of normal kidney tissue, potentially blocking the flow of urine and leading to serious complications.

Congenital ectodermal dysplasia is a group of rare genetic disorders present from birth that affect the development of skin, hair, teeth, nails, and sweat glands. With over 180 different types identified, each person experiences a unique combination of symptoms—from mild changes to more significant challenges in daily life.

Congenital generalised lipodystrophy is a rare inherited condition where a child is born with almost no body fat. This severe lack of fat tissue causes the body to store fat in places it shouldn’t, leading to serious health problems including diabetes, liver disease, and heart complications.

Congenital hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia is a rare genetic condition where the pancreas produces too much insulin, causing dangerously low blood sugar levels that can lead to serious brain damage if not treated promptly.

Congenital hypotransferrinaemia is an extremely rare blood disorder that creates a puzzling medical paradox: patients suffer from severe anemia while simultaneously accumulating dangerous amounts of iron in their organs.

Congenital myopathy is a rare genetic condition that causes muscle weakness and lack of muscle tone, typically present at birth or appearing in early childhood. These inherited disorders affect skeletal muscles throughout the body, with symptoms ranging from mild weakness to severe breathing and feeding difficulties.

Congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus is a rare inherited disorder where the kidneys cannot respond properly to a natural hormone, causing the body to produce large amounts of dilute urine and leading to excessive thirst and the risk of severe dehydration.

Congenital pseudarthrosis is a rare bone condition where a fracture fails to heal properly, most commonly affecting the shin bone in young children. Though challenging to treat, modern surgical techniques have transformed outcomes for patients with this condition.

Congenital ureteric anomalies are birth defects affecting the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. These conditions can lead to various complications, including infections, blockages, and kidney damage, but many can be successfully treated with modern surgical techniques.

Conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, is one of the most frequent eye conditions people experience. This inflammation of the clear membrane covering the eye can make your eyes appear pink or red, often with discharge and discomfort, but it rarely threatens your vision.

Allergic conjunctivitis is a common eye condition that affects up to 40% of people at some point in their lives. When your eyes come into contact with allergens like pollen or pet dander, your immune system reacts, causing uncomfortable symptoms like itching, redness, and watering.

Connective tissue disorders are a group of over 200 conditions that affect the tissues holding your body together. These disorders can range from inherited genetic conditions to autoimmune diseases where the body attacks its own tissues, causing inflammation and damage throughout the body.

Constipation is a common problem affecting around 1 in 7 people, causing difficulty or infrequency with bowel movements. While it can significantly impact your quality of life, most cases can be treated with simple changes in diet, fluid intake, and exercise.

Contusion is the medical term for a bruise, one of the most common injuries that can affect anyone, from active children to athletes and older adults, occurring when blood vessels break beneath the skin due to a direct blow or impact.

Corneal dystrophy is a group of rare genetic eye diseases that affect the clear front part of your eye. While some people live without symptoms, others may experience blurred vision, eye pain, or sensitivity to light. There are more than 20 different types, each affecting different layers of the cornea.

Corneal graft failure is the most common reason why corneal transplants stop working, affecting thousands of patients worldwide each year. While the cornea has special properties that usually protect it from rejection, in about one-third of failed grafts, doctors find clear signs that the body’s immune system has attacked the donated tissue.

Despite the cornea’s special protection from the immune system, corneal graft rejection remains the most common cause of transplant failure, with the body’s immune response targeting the donor tissue and threatening the clarity of vision that the transplant was meant to restore.

Coronary artery bypass surgery creates a new path for blood to flow around blocked or narrowed arteries in the heart, helping to restore oxygen-rich blood supply to the heart muscle and reduce the risk of heart attack.

Coronary artery disease is a common heart condition affecting millions of people worldwide, where the arteries supplying blood to the heart become narrowed or blocked, potentially leading to serious complications like heart attacks.

Coronary artery dissection is a tear in the wall of a heart artery that can happen suddenly and without warning, most often affecting younger women who may have no traditional risk factors for heart disease.

Coronary artery occlusion is a partial or complete blockage of the blood vessels that supply your heart with oxygen-rich blood, which can lead to serious complications like a heart attack if left untreated.

Cortical dysplasia is a genetic brain condition where cells in the outer layer of the brain don’t form properly before birth. It is one of the most common causes of epilepsy in children and a frequent cause of seizures that don’t respond well to typical medications. While challenging to treat, surgery and other therapies can offer hope for seizure control.

Corticobasal degeneration is a rare brain disease that causes areas of the brain to shrink and nerve cells to die over time, leading to increasing difficulty with movement, speech, memory, and swallowing.

When cortisol levels in your body become too high or too low, it can lead to serious health problems that affect nearly every part of your body, from your blood pressure and weight to your energy levels and immune system.

A cough is a powerful reflex that helps your body clear the airways of irritants, mucus, and germs, protecting your lungs from infection. While most coughs resolve on their own, understanding what triggers them and how to manage symptoms can bring relief and peace of mind.

COVID-19 is a contagious illness caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2 that emerged in late 2019 and spread globally, affecting millions of people and causing nearly 1.2 million deaths in the United States alone by June 2024.

Craniocerebral injury, also known as traumatic brain injury, affects thousands of people every year when the brain is damaged by an outside force. This injury can range from mild to severe, with effects that may last days, months, or even a lifetime.

Craniopharyngioma is a rare, noncancerous brain tumor that develops near the pituitary gland, a pea-sized structure that controls many important body functions through hormones. Though these tumors grow slowly and don’t spread to other parts of the body, their location makes them serious because they can press on vital brain structures, affecting vision, hormone levels, and overall health.

Craniosynostosis is a birth condition where the bones in a baby’s skull join together too early, before the brain finishes growing. This happens when the flexible seams between skull bones, called sutures, close prematurely. The condition affects about 1 in every 2,000 to 2,500 babies and can change the shape of the head as the brain continues to grow.

A craniotomy is a major brain surgery where a surgeon temporarily removes part of your skull to access and treat problems inside your brain, then carefully replaces the bone before closing the incision.

Crigler-Najjar syndrome is a rare inherited condition where the liver cannot properly break down bilirubin, a substance produced when red blood cells are broken down. This leads to a dangerous buildup in the body that can cause serious brain damage if not treated promptly.

Critical illness refers to life-threatening medical conditions that require intensive care treatment, as well as a specialized type of insurance designed to provide financial support when serious health emergencies strike unexpectedly.

Crohn’s disease is a lifelong inflammatory condition that can affect any part of your digestive system, most commonly the small intestine and colon. While there is no cure, treatments can help control symptoms and allow you to live an active, fulfilling life.

Cryoglobulinaemia is a rare blood vessel condition where abnormal proteins clump together in cold temperatures, potentially blocking blood flow and damaging organs throughout the body, particularly the kidneys and liver.

Cushing’s syndrome is a rare condition that happens when your body has too much of a hormone called cortisol for a long time. This can lead to noticeable changes in your appearance, serious health problems, and emotional challenges. While living with this condition can be difficult, understanding it and getting proper treatment can help you take back control of your health.

Cutaneous calcification occurs when calcium salts build up in the skin and tissue beneath it, forming hard deposits that can range from harmless bumps to painful, disabling lesions that significantly affect daily life.

Cutaneous lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease that primarily targets the skin, causing various types of rashes and lesions. While some people experience only skin symptoms, others may develop signs of systemic disease affecting multiple organs. Understanding this condition and its triggers—especially sunlight exposure—is essential for managing symptoms and preventing complications.

Cutaneous sarcoidosis is a skin condition that occurs in up to one third of people with sarcoidosis, a disease that causes tiny clusters of inflammatory cells to form in various organs. Because the skin lesions can appear in many different forms, cutaneous sarcoidosis is known as one of the “great imitators” in dermatology.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is a rare group of blood cancers that primarily affects the skin, often appearing as patches or rashes that can be mistaken for common skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis for years before diagnosis.