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Colorectal cancer is a malignant tumor that very often runs in families, which scientists associate with the presence of a specific gene. According to medical statistics, there are over 3 million people in the world with colorectal cancer. It is the second most common cancer in Europe. In Poland, the disease is diagnosed annually in about 12 thousand. people
Each year, 8,5 thousand die from this. people. 90 percent cases are found in people over 50, both women and men. About 70 percent. patients see a doctor when the cancer has wreaked havoc on the body and effective therapy is not possible. This determines the future of the sick. People who report to a specialist in stage I of colorectal cancer have 90 percent. chances of recovery, when in II – 63-72 percent. When the disease reaches stage III, that is, when metastases appear, the chances of recovery fall below 50%. In stage IV, they reach only 17%. That is why early diagnosis is so important.
Which is conducive to the disease
Over the years, views on the causes of colon cancer development have been shaped. It is now known that people whose relatives suffered from this type of cancer should be especially careful, as 2-4 percent. all illnesses have a genetic basis. It is also known that colon cancer likes to attack obese people. To reduce the risk of developing the disease, you should keep your BMI in the range of 20-25. Daily, at least one hour of physical activity is also important. Numerous studies show that diet is also of great importance. People who eat red meat (beef, pork, lamb) rich in animal fat on a daily basis are 2,5 times more likely to develop the disease than people whose menu shows such meat 1-2 times a month. The basis of a diet that protects against colorectal cancer should be vegetables and fruits (400-800 g daily) and grain products (600-800 g daily). Vegetables are a source of fiber, vitamins C and E and folic acid. Fiber not only increases fecal mass and accelerates intestinal transit, but also neutralizes bile acids. The work of the intestines is also facilitated by wheat bran, which can be added to kefir, yoghurt or cottage cheese. Dairy products and their calcium also bind bile acids well. There should be little cholesterol in an anti-cancer diet, as it is carcinogenic not only to blood vessels, but to all cells in the body. For the sake of your intestines, you should also limit the consumption of alcohol, coffee, strong black tea, smoked and grilled meat and fish, because dangerous nitro compounds are formed in meat baked at temperatures above 400 degrees Celsius.
The overuse of non-Android anti-inflammatory drugs, which excessively damage the intestinal mucosa, can also contribute to the development of colon cancer. This theory is not yet sufficiently confirmed by scientific research, but caution can never be enough.
What should attract our attention?
Colon cancer develops from polyps, which are benign adenomas that form on the inner walls of the intestine. The transformation of an adenoma into a tumor takes about 10 years and occurs as a result of a series of genetic mutations occurring in individual cells of healthy tissue.
Despite the fact that cancer itself manifests itself late, there are signals that should not be taken lightly. Here they are.
Chronic constipation – If cancer develops, polyps inside the intestine also grow, reducing the internal cross-section, i.e. the lumen of the intestine. This condition makes it difficult to defecate. When the disease is very advanced, intestinal obstruction may occur.
Changing the frequency of bowel movements – if it is not related to a significant change in diet or lifestyle, it should prompt us to visit a doctor.
Diarrhea with large amounts of gas that lasts for weeks may or may not be a symptom of cancer. A medical consultation is necessary.
Anemia, which is manifested by chronic weakness, rapid fatigue and increased temperature, is another alarming signal.
Pain in the lower abdomen and lower back, discomfort, nausea, vomiting and difficulty swallowing are also reasons to see a doctor.
The feeling of incomplete bowel movements should also worry us.
Traces of blood on toilet paper or underwear may indicate the presence of cancer, but it may also be caused by bleeding from hemorrhoids, commonly known as haemorrhoids. Without specialist research, it is impossible to differentiate the cause of bleeding.
The most important study
Every person (regardless of gender) aged 50 or over should come to a colonoscopy, i.e. a large intestine examination. Such examination can be performed free of charge. This is the only way to detect any abnormalities in the intestine, locate the bleeding site or polyp, or check the condition of the mucosa in suspected ulcerative colitis – a disease that carries the risk of cancer development. Colonoscopy can be performed on both a child and an elderly person.
The referral is issued by your GP or gastroenterologist. You can also use the examination as part of the screening program supervised by the Institute of Oncology Center. On the website www.coi.waw.pl you will find information on the place and time of such tests.
Rectal examination is an underestimated and included in the basic diagnostic tests. The doctor uses a finger to examine the condition of the intestine, which makes it possible to detect the source of bleeding and neoplastic nodules. The examination detects almost 1/3 of colon cancers.
Tests related to colonoscopy are contrast infusion (taking a series of radiographs of the colon after applying liquid contrast to the intestine and filling it with air), anoscopy (endoscopy of the anal canal and the tip of the rectum), rectoscopy (rectal endoscopy), rectomanoscopy (rectoscopy extended to the final segment examination) sigmoid colon, i.e. the lower segment of the large intestine just in front of the rectum), sigmoidoscopy (endoscopy of the end of the large intestine along with the sigmoid colon).
In some cases, you can consider making the so-called virtual colonoscopy consisting in a radiological examination, computed tomography of the intestine filled with air. This method does not allow taking a sample for examination or removal of polyps.
Treatment
The mainstay of treatment for colorectal cancer located in the lower section (rectal cancer) is combination therapy, which involves irradiating the affected areas and then operating on them. Such treatment gives the best chance of success of the therapy and makes it possible to preserve the anal sphincter.
In the case of anal cancer, surgery is usually abandoned and the mainstay of treatment is the use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
New drugs which act by delaying the formation of new cancer cells have brought huge advances in the treatment of colon cancer. They are administered in the advanced stages of the disease. Unfortunately, in the case of a disseminated form of the disease with multiple metastases, the chances of a complete recovery are slim. In the case of multiple metastases, prolonging the patient’s life is possible by administering various types of chemotherapy, i.e. a set of drugs that destroy all rapidly dividing cells, including cancer cells. This chemotherapy is given before surgery to reduce the size of the tumor. After surgery, adjuvant, or complementary, treatment is used to kill the cancer cells that have spread throughout the body. New treatment options have also emerged for patients with colorectal cancer and surgical liver metastases. The use of chemotherapy before and after surgery increased the percentage of patients surviving 3 years without recurrence from 28% to 34%. The new standard is the use of combination therapy with antibodies. Simplifying the essence of this treatment, it can be said that it consists in the combined administration of chemotherapy with antibodies that act selectively only on tumor cells, without damaging the healthy cells of the body.