A gastrointestinal doctor reveals the mistakes you should avoid if you want to lower your risk of colon cancer.

Colorectal cancer—often called colon cancer—is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second deadliest cancer in the United States, according to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance.

Cleaning out the colon is sometimes necessary— for example, before a medical procedure, such as a colonoscopy. But some people do it in the belief that the process will rid their colons of excess ...

I've talked about colons more than once in this column, but my focus is usually limited in scope. I zoom in on the little questions, like how many spaces to put after a colon and whether it should be ...