Contents
- “Red Flags”. These symptoms could be colon cancer
- Colon cancer. Who is most at risk?
- When is the risk of colon cancer rising? Alcohol and cigarettes
- When is the risk of colon cancer rising? Overweight and obesity
- A lot of red processed meat, little fruit and vegetables are a higher risk of colon cancer
- If you don’t like exercise, you have a higher risk of colon cancer
Colorectal cancer is one of the most common human cancers and one of the deadliest. It develops slowly. It may be asymptomatic for years, and when they do appear, often the doctor can do little. Although the causes of colorectal cancer are not yet fully understood, it is known what increases its risk. Among them are the daily habits of many of us. What exactly? Dr. Gethin Williams, MD, points to seven. Be sure to check what can lead to colorectal cancer.
- Colorectal cancer (colon cancer) is the third most common cancer in the world and the second most lethal
- In 2020, 1,9 million people worldwide heard the diagnosis, and over 900 died.
- In Poland, colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer. Every year, several thousand people learn about the disease
- The risk factors for this cancer include: age, family history of cancer, comorbidities, e.g. type 2 diabetes
- Our lifestyle, including our diet, also contributes to colon cancer. Dr. Williams lists daily habits that can lead to cancer
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage
“Red Flags”. These symptoms could be colon cancer
Colorectal cancer (colon cancer) is the third most common malignant neoplasm in the world and the second most mortal. In 2020, 1,9 million people heard the diagnosis, and over 900 died. Colon cancer casualties are unfortunately rising. It is estimated that in 2040 the number of new cases will reach 3,2 million.
The problem with colon cancer is that it may be asymptomatic for years, and when these do appear, the cancer is already advanced (the overgrown tumor begins to bleed or shut off the digestive tract). What should worry you? – We focus on prophylaxis in order to prevent the occurrence of symptoms – reminds prof. dr hab. n. med. Tomasz Banasiewicz, head of the Department of General, Endocrine Surgery and Gastroenterological Oncology, Director of the Institute of Surgery at the Medical University of Poznań. – If we do not undergo control tests, we should be concerned about any suddenly appearing differences in the gastrointestinal tract.
– If we unexpectedly start to have constipation problems or vice versa: if we have always had constipation and suddenly have more frequent bowel movements, mucus or watery diarrhea. If we see blood in the stool, if there is severe bloating and nothing like this happened before. These are the so-called flagship symptoms, also known as red flags, which should prompt us to have a quick examination – emphasizes the specialist (the whole text: Colon cancer is the second most common cancer in Poland. “When symptoms appear, there is little the doctor can do”).
Colon cancer. Who is most at risk?
The causes of colon cancer are yet to be fully understood, but it is known who is most at risk of developing it. The risk factors include genetic burden, first of all the presence of many colorectal cancers in the family (especially if the disease appeared at the younger age of 45-50 years). The likelihood of colon cancer is also increased by other neoplastic diseases that occur in the family, e.g. lymphoma, breast, ovarian and prostate cancer.
The rest of the text is below the video.
It is impossible not to mention comorbidities. The risk of colorectal cancer is increased by type 2 diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases (such as ulcerative colitis), and polyps present in the large intestine (can become cancer). The risk factors also include age – most cases occur in people over 50).
If you want to assess your cancer risk, do the Male Cancer e-Packet – Extended Genetic Testing. Taking a blood sample can be done at home, which is a comfortable and safe solution.
As long as we have no influence on the above factors or it is limited, we also increase the risk of falling ill, at our own request. All because of everyday habits that lasted for years. We are often unaware of their consequences. Meanwhile, the risk of developing cancer also depends, among others, on from what we eat, what we drink. Colon cancer habits are discussed at eatthis.com by Dr. Gethin Williams, MD, an imaging and intervention specialist. Meet seven of them.
When is the risk of colon cancer rising? Alcohol and cigarettes
Drinking alcohol increases the risk of colon cancer, especially rectal cancer. Importantly, the key role here is not the type but the amount of percentages consumed. “The more you drink, the greater your risk,” warns Dr. Williams. As the Europacolon Polska Foundation reminds us in the campaign «Don’t get it somewhere! All about colorectal cancer », the risk of cancer increases when we consume more than one drink a day (12,5 g of pure ethanol, which is one small beer or 100 ml of wine).
As for tobacco, it is known to have a detrimental effect on the cells that line the colon and rectum. In other words, smoking makes you more likely to develop polyps. “The risk of colorectal cancer is halved in people who quit smoking, even those who have smoked for many years,” emphasizes Dr Williams.
When is the risk of colon cancer rising? Overweight and obesity
The risk is especially increased in men. Let us remind you that we are talking about obesity when the total BMI exceeds 30, in the case of overweight the BMI is 25-30. The correct body weight is BMI between 20-25.
Why does excess weight affect cancer development? “Fat tissue produces hormones that can promote the growth of cancer cells,” explains Gethin Williams.
A lot of red processed meat, little fruit and vegetables are a higher risk of colon cancer
The risk of developing colon cancer is increased both by frequent consumption of red meat (pork, beef, lamb) and by weakness for processed meats (sausages, bacon, cold cuts). As Europacolon Polska explains in the aforementioned campaign, during the processing of meat, toxic chemical compounds are formed that contribute to cancer formation.
Fiber plays an important role in preventing colon cancer. Its rich source are vegetables and fruits (a daily minimum is 400 grams).
If you don’t like exercise, you have a higher risk of colon cancer
Exercise can help reduce the risk of colon cancer by maintaining a proper weight. As Dr. Williams notes, they also help process sugar better, which can help prevent insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (both are associated with an increased risk of cancer). “Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week,” the medic advises. It could even be a brisk walk.
The good news is that colon cancer is largely curable. – It is one of the few cancers that, when caught at the right moment, i.e. in the early stage, or in the precancerous stage, at the polyp stage, has a chance of being completely healed – emphasizes Dr. Marcin Tchórzewski, head of the General Surgery Ward with the Proctology Subdivision of the Solec Hospital in Warsaw.
In order to detect colon cancer in time, you need to remember about checkups. The gold standard is colonoscopy. According to the recommendations, in people with high risk factors, colonoscopy should be performed every two years, with an average of every five years, and people who do not have risk factors should be checked every 10 years.
In the early stages, colon cancer develops without symptoms. That is why regular preventive examinations are so important. One of them is the M2PK mail-order study – diagnostics of colorectal cancer, available on Medonet Market.
We encourage you to listen to the latest episode of the RESET podcast. This time we devote it to astrology. Is astrology really a forecast of the future? What is it and how can it help us in everyday life? What is the chart and why is it worth analyzing with an astrologer? You will hear about this and many other topics related to astrology in the new episode of our podcast.