WHAT IS COLON CANCER?
Colorectal cancer, or colon cancer, occurs in the colon or rectum. Colon cancer, when discovered early, is highly treatable. Even if it spreads into nearby lymph nodes, surgical treatment followed by chemotherapy is highly effective.
IS THERE AN INCREASE IN COLON CANCER AMONG YOUTH?
Recent studies show that while colon cancer rates have been falling for people over 50 who are routinely getting screened for colon cancer, people below the age of 50 are seeing a sharp increase in the rates of colon cancer. The studies say that the reason for rapid increase in the rates of colon cancer is due to the fact that there is an increase in obesity rates among young people, which puts them at high risk for colon cancer, gastrointestinal cancer also called GI cancer, and rectal cancer. cancer.
WHEN TO START SCREENING?
Screening means having a test that looks for cancer or another disease in people who don’t have any symptoms. Some screening tests – such as colonoscopies – can find growths called polyps and remove them before they have a chance to turn into cancer. Other screening tests can find cancer early when it’s easier to treat.
The benefits of screening tests must be weighed against any risks of the tests themselves. Risks may include anxiety, pain, or other side effects. And screening isn’t perfect. Sometimes screening miss cancer, and sometimes it finds something suspicious that turns out to be harmless, but must be checked out through additional tests that also carry risks.
Although doctors are not decided on the age to start colon cancer screening, they advise youth who are predisposed to having cancer due to certain risk factors such as genetics, obesity and unhealthy lifestyle to consider screening early if their doctor recommends
HOW TO LOWER RISKS OF COLON CANCER?
Young people can do the following to lower their risk for developing colon and rectal cancer, or to catch it early:
- Get to and stay at a healthy weight. Eat a lot of healthy food, mostly vegetables and fruits, and avoid unhealthy foods, especially desserts, snacks, sugar, soda, and other sugary drinks. Eat less red meat (beef, pork, or lamb) and processed meats.
- Be sure to get regular physical activity. You’ll feel better and you may lower your risk for colon cancer, many other cancers, and many other diseases including heart disease and diabetes.
- It’s also important to know if you have a family history of colon problems that can increase risk. These include pre-cancerous polyps and hereditary syndromes such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer (HNPCC), also known as Lynch syndrome. Having other conditions, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease can also increase your risk of colon cancer
- Take any symptoms seriously. There is no such thing as normal rectal bleeding. If you notice blood, a change in the colour or size of your stool, a new pain, or bowel changes, get checked out by a doctor.
WHY KIMS?
At KIMS, one of the best centres for gastrointestinal cancer treatment in Hyderabad, India, your treatment for colon cancer is personalized to provide the best outcomes, while focusing on your quality of life. We offer leading-edge colon cancer treatment in Hyderabad, including minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic surgeries that provide successful treatment with less impact on you.