Who Is More Prone To Develop Colorectal Cancer?

The exact reason why colon cancer develops incancer. On the other hand absence of all risk factors
some persons and not in others is not clear. Thedoes not mean that an individual will not develop
incidence of colon cancer is quite varied amongcolorectal cancer, but generally more risk factors you
different countries and within different ethnic groupshave higher is the chance of developing colorectal
inside the same country. Industrialized countries likecancer. Environmental factors also may be playing a
United States, Canada, UK, Western Europe, Australiarole in the development of colorectal cancer. People
and Japan have a much higher incidence of colorectalwho migrate from areas of low risk to areas of the
cancer compared to the less industrialized parts ofworld with higher risk of developing colorectal cancer,
the world like Asia, Africa, and South America.they tend to acquire the risk of the country to which
Colorectal cancer represent over 9 percent of allthey are migrating. This finding suggests the
cancers in men and about 10 percent of all cancers inpresence of environmental factors causing higher risk
women world-wide. In industrialized countries theof developing colorectal cancer. Changes in dietary
incidence of colorectal cancer can be as high as 12 tofactors associated with migration may also be
14 of all cancers, and in non-industrialized countriescontributing to this increase in risk associated with
much lower rates of about 7 to 8 percent of allmigration from low risk areas to higher risk areas.
cancers diagnosed may be colorectal cancer.Risk factors for the development of colorectal
Excluding skin cancer, colorectal cancer is the thirdcancer include the following:
commonest cancer diagnosed in the United States.- Age over 50 years
Each year over 100,000 Americans are diagnosed- Increased fat intake
with colon cancer and over 50 percent of these- Large intestinal polyps
patients will die from colorectal cancer. Colon cancer- Family history of colon cancer
incidence is not much different between males and- Inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis
females, however colon cancer is slightly moreand Crohn's disease.
prevalent in women compared to men (ratio of 1.2:1)- Personal history of other cancers
but the rectal cancer is more common in males (ratio- Sedentary habits and lack of exercise
of 1.7:1).- Obesity
Even though we do not know the exact cause of- Diabetes
development of colorectal cancer, scientists have- Smoking
recognized several factors that can increase the risk- Alcohol content
of development of colorectal cancer. A risk factor- Genetic colon cancer syndromes like Familial
for a disease is any condition that makes a personadenomatous polyposis or Hereditary Non-polyposis
more likely to develop that diseases. Some of theColon Cancer (HNPCC) Persons who have high risk of
risk factors like dietary factors are modifiable by thecolorectal cancer may undergo screening for
person involved while some other factors like age arecolorectal cancer with colonoscopy once every 2 to
un-modifiable. These risk factors may act in3 years. Screening colonoscopy is recommended for
combination, and this combination of risk factors mayevery one who is 50 years or older. If someone has
be associated with cumulative increase in the risk ofa higher than average risk of developing colorectal
development of colorectal cancer. The simplecancer, the screening may be initiated earlier than 50
presence of one or more risk factors does notyears.
necessarily mean that someone will develop colorectal