Timely detection of colorectal cancer in the elderly. Implications of the aging process

Increased age is a risk factor for colorectal cancer; however, there is a lack of literature that focuses on the early detection of colorectal cancer in the elderly. The nursing process provides the conceptual basis for this article, which discusses normal bowel function, aging changes in the bowel, and colorectal cancer. A nursing care plan for alterations in bowel elimination/constipation is presented as a model.