NEXT STOP: THE COLON

Your gut roadmap: A road trip through the digestive highway

On this road trip, you’ll learn what the colon does, where it’s located and discover the signs that might leave you roadside with the hazards flashing.

By Exact Sciences Corporation | April 28, 2026

Person standing with hands on hips.

“Hello, this is your Gut Positioning System (GPS) speaking. Your next destination is … the colon.”

You might not think about your colon very often, but it has a major impact on your overall well-being. The colon is the behind-the-scenes hero of the digestive system, working day and night to keep everything on schedule.


Think of the colon as that final stretch of your road trip — a long, muscular tube responsible for processing what’s left after your food’s nutrients have been absorbed. It’s not flashy, but it’s essential.

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“You’re now entering the large intestine.”

Welcome to the large intestine — a broad territory whose capital city is the colon. The colon isn’t separate from the large intestine; it is the main part of it. It’s all part of the same digestive “state,” but the colon has its own landmarks and responsibilities. This is where the body shifts gears: absorbing water, recruiting helpful bacteria, and shaping the final output of your digestive journey.


Your colon loops around your abdomen like a big, upside-down U, a scenic route with four distinct stretches:


  • Ascending colon: the climb up the right side
  • Transverse colon: a cruise across the top
  • Descending colon: the slide down the left side
  • Sigmoid colon: the final winding road before reaching the rectum

“Unexpected delays… slow traffic due to digestion.”

Just like any busy highway system, the colon can experience its own version of road closures. Some common conditions include diverticulitis (inflamed pouches in the colon wall), IBS (which affects bowel habits and abdominal comfort), and IBD (like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis). You might also encounter constipation — when the traffic really slows down — or polyps, small growths in the colon lining that sometimes require attention.


So how do you know when your colon is calling for roadside assistance? Signals might include persistent abdominal pain, changes in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, blood in the stool, or bloating that refuses to clear.

“Rerouting for long-term-digestive care.”

Luckily, there are a few reliable ways to keep this part of the digestive highway running smoother than that newly paved overpass. Boosting your fiber intake, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans gives your gut the kind of fuel it likes. Staying hydrated helps traffic flow, and regular movement encourages your digestive tract’s natural contractions.


Maintaining a healthy colon is one of the easiest ways to support your overall well-being, everyone’s got one — men, women, all of us cruising along life’s highway with the same essential equipment under the hood. Sure, technically you can keep going without a colon, but the journey comes with a lot more detours, pit stops and reroutes. So, if anything along your digestive route starts to feel unfamiliar, uncomfortable, or just ‘not you’, take the next step:


Talk to your health care provider about your colon health and the right screening options for you, or click here to see if the Cologuard® test is right for you.

FAQs

The colon is in your abdomen. It starts on the lower right side, travels up and across your belly, and then down the left side.

The colon is the final part of the digestive system, primarily functioning to absorb water, electrolytes, and vitamins from food. It converts liquid waste from the small intestine into solid stool, stores it, and moves it towards elimination.

The colon is part of the large intestine. The large intestine includes the colon and a few other sections, like the rectum.

Yes, you can live without a colon. If it is removed, your body can still function, but digestion and bathroom habits may change. Your health care provider can help explain what to expect.

Safe.
Noninvasive.
FDA-approved.

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