The truth and how to prevent cancer


Who Is More Prone To Develop Colorectal Cancer?

The exact reason why colon cancer develops indeveloping colorectal cancer. Environmental
some persons and not in others is not clear.factors also may be playing a role in the
The incidence of colon cancer is quite varieddevelopment of colorectal cancer. People who
among different countries and withinmigrate from areas of low risk to areas of
different ethnic groups inside the samethe world with higher risk of developing
country. Industrialized countries like Unitedcolorectal cancer, they tend to acquire the
States, Canada, UK, Western Europe, Australiarisk of the country to which they are
and Japan have a much higher incidence ofmigrating. This finding suggests the presence
colorectal cancer compared to the lessof environmental factors causing higher risk
industrialized parts of the world like Asia,of developing colorectal cancer. Changes in
Africa, and South America. Colorectal cancerdietary factors associated with migration may
represent over 9 percent of all cancers inalso be contributing to this increase in risk
men and about 10 percent of all cancers inassociated with migration from low risk areas
women world-wide. In industrialized countriesto  higher  risk  areas.
the incidence of colorectal cancer can be as
high as 12 to 14 of all cancers, and inRisk factors for the development of
non-industrialized countries much lower ratescolorectal  cancer  include  the  following:
of about 7 to 8 percent of all cancers
diagnosed  may  be  colorectal  cancer.-  Age  over  50  years
Excluding skin cancer, colorectal cancer is-  Increased  fat  intake
the third commonest cancer diagnosed in the
United States. Each year over 100,000-  Large  intestinal  polyps
Americans are diagnosed with colon cancer and
over 50 percent of these patients will die-  Family  history  of  colon  cancer
from colorectal cancer. Colon cancer
incidence is not much different between males- Inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative
and females, however colon cancer is slightlycolitis  and  Crohn's  disease.
more prevalent in women compared to men
(ratio of 1.2:1) but the rectal cancer is-  Personal  history  of  other  cancers
more  common  in  males  (ratio  of  1.7:1).
-  Sedentary  habits  and  lack  of  exercise
Even though we do not know the exact cause of
development of colorectal cancer, scientists-  Obesity
have recognized several factors that can
increase the risk of development of-  Diabetes
colorectal cancer. A risk factor for a
disease is any condition that makes a person-  Smoking
more likely to develop that diseases. Some of
the risk factors like dietary factors are-  Alcohol  content
modifiable by the person involved while some
other factors like age are un-modifiable.- Genetic colon cancer syndromes like
These risk factors may act in combination,Familial adenomatous polyposis or Hereditary
and this combination of risk factors may beNon-polyposis Colon Cancer (HNPCC) Persons
associated with cumulative increase in thewho have high risk of colorectal cancer may
risk of development of colorectal cancer. Theundergo screening for colorectal cancer with
simple presence of one or more risk factorscolonoscopy once every 2 to 3 years.
does not necessarily mean that someone willScreening colonoscopy is recommended for
develop colorectal cancer. On the other handevery one who is 50 years or older. If
absence of all risk factors does not meansomeone has a higher than average risk of
that an individual will not developdeveloping colorectal cancer, the screening
colorectal cancer, but generally more riskmay be initiated earlier than 50 years.
factors you have higher is the chance of



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