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According to the doctor, colon cancer is the third most common malignancy in the world among men and the second most common among women. Almost two million people around the world develop colon cancer each year. In Lithuania, colon cancer is one of the five most common cancers. In our country, about 1,400 new cases of this disease are registered each year, and more than 800 people die each year from colon cancer.
The risk of colon cancer is associated with the consumption, obesity and age of meat, especially red meat, and alcohol. Physical activity and eating foods rich in fiber have also been shown to reduce the chances of developing colon cancer.
According to an abdominal surgeon, most people believe that colon cancer is hereditary. This is partially true: if someone in a patient’s first-degree relatives, such as a parent, had colon cancer, the risk of developing the disease increases to 6 percent, and if they had cancer before age 45, the risk increases by 10 percent. If there are 2 or more first degree relatives in the family with colon cancer, the risk of developing the disease increases to 17 percent. However, less than 10 percent of all cancers can be explained by genetic alterations.
Thus, it can be said that the risk of colon cancer increases in people over 50 who consume a lot of fat, meat, alcohol, fog, who have had colon cancer in their family or who have had other colon diseases, “he concludes Dr. R. Baušys.
No need to fear investigation
There are no typical symptoms of colon cancer alone, depending on the interlocutor. However, a doctor should hurry immediately if the patient’s bowel movements change, blood in the stool, or stomach pain, general swelling or weakness occurs, and anemia is detected.
“The most important and basic test method for detecting colon cancer is fibrocolonoscopy. During it, it is possible to assess the tumor, take part of it for examination and thus be able to answer whether it is cancer or benign tumor. The study can not only diagnose but also eliminate anticancer derivatives. Although there is still an opinion that this is an unpleasant and painful examination, it is not worth fear, because fibrocolonoscopy is performed under general anesthesia and the patient does not feel any pain or other unpleasant sensations, ”says Dr. R. Baušys.
According to the doctor, more and more attention is paid to this disease in Lithuania. A colorectal cancer early diagnosis program has been launched for all people aged 50-74 years (inclusive).
“Fibrocolonoscopy, in the absence of symptoms, can not only detect colon cancer at an early stage, but also diagnose other precancerous lesions in the lining of the colon and thus prevent colon cancer. Therefore, I invite all people who have reached their 50s and have not yet participated in this program to contact their GP; this can help avoid further inconvenience in the future, ”says Dr. R. Baušys.
It is vital to identify as soon as possible
Only one in three patients is diagnosed with early, first, or second-stage colon cancer. One in five receives a late diagnosis of the disease, at which point stage four cancer remains to be diagnosed. “The earlier the disease is detected, the better the treatment results,” says the doctor.
According to him, if the cancer is only in the colon and has not spread to the lymph nodes or has not developed distant metastases, the patient’s five-year survival is more than 90 percent. Unfortunately, with stage four cancer, the chances of surviving five years are only 14 percent.
Non-metastatic colorectal cancer is treated surgically; Part of the colon is removed during surgery. Increasingly, these surgeries are performed by minimally invasive methods: laparoscopically, when only a small scar remains on the abdominal wall after the operation after the incision, through which part of the intestine is removed. In all other cases, however, colon cancer treatment is more complicated: chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and a variety of other treatments are needed.
“Unfortunately, there are also cases in which the patient can no longer be helped and only palliative treatment and nursing remain. Therefore, I would like to emphasize once again that the sooner a patient sees a doctor, the better the results will be not only, but the treatment itself will be less complicated, emphasizes dr. R. Baušys. “That’s why I want everyone to eat healthy, get plenty of exercise, kick bad habits, and if you’re 50, remind your family doctor that you want to participate in an early diagnosis program for colon cancer.”
