- In Mexico it has an incidence of 10 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
- Most cases are identified in advanced stages because their symptoms are mistaken for minor illnesses.
- According to the Pan American Health Organization, the most affected countries in the region are Canada, Uruguay and Barbados.
Tumors continue to rise in most of the world. One of the problems is that they can develop anywhere in the body, although some are more deadly than others. Such is the case of colon cancer because it is already the fourth most frequent in the region of the Americas. Each year there are more than 240,000 new cases and approximately 112,000 deaths due to this disease.
As with other neoplasms, the sooner the disease is identified, the more likely it is to be cured. In this case, the drawback is that the first symptoms are confused with other minor illnesses. Therefore, people know about their condition until it is in an advanced stage.
With this in mind, the Dr. Acosta Thenwho is a bariatric endoscopist and director of the Obesity and Specialties Clinic Health Clinicremember that March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month. One of the reasons is to promote actions for change among the population.
Is it possible to avoid it?
Let’s talk about it. A healthy colon has a basic principle: eating habits and physical activity. It has been shown that 90% of cases are prevented with a colonoscopy on time. It is a test that consists of a flexible camera connected to a monitor that allows the entire colon to be explored, which is the terminal part of the large intestine.
So our priorities should be maintaining a healthy weight, eating foods high in fiber and low in fat, drinking plenty of water, limiting alcohol intake, and being physically active. These are basic pillars to avoid the risk of developing cancer. Obesity is a modifiable factor with strong scientific evidence.
What symptoms should we suspect?
Changes in bowel movements (a bowel movement pattern between diarrhea and constipation), unexplained weight loss, blood in the stool, or bloating with signs of obstruction.
A quick diagnosis can be achieved with a study of the stool to look for hidden blood. It is very cheap and, if it comes out positive, it gives us an indication of probability, which should lead to other tests. Apart from that, all patients over the age of 45 are candidates, with or without symptoms, to start colon cancer screening.
Another important issue is that the disease has a dominant genetic factor. Therefore, it is always good to investigate the family history in any line of the family tree, whether grandparents, great-grandparents, mom or dad. If there are previous cases, then the screening should start before the age of 45. Ideally, it should be 10 years before the age at which the affected relative debuted.
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