One in every 19 people develops colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer (also known as colon cancer) is the third most common type of cancer in developed countries, after breast cancer in women and lung cancer in men. The risk is higher in men after the age of 50.
Factors such as consuming too much red meat, eating excessively fatty foods, and living a sedentary lifestyle increase the risk of developing colon cancer. Similarly, those who are overweight have a higher chance of developing this cancer.
To Protect Yourself from Colon Cancer
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Investigate your genetic predisposition.
- Live an active life (Do regular sports and exercise).
- Lose weight.
- Quit smoking if you smoke.
- Take vitamin D. (Benefit from sunlight)
- Have regular colonoscopies at age 50.
Remember that colon cancer is a preventable type of cancer. The important thing is to diagnose it early and to apply very simple prevention methods.
Symptoms of Colon Cancer
- Blood in stool
- Irregularities, changes in bowel habits
- Pain in the abdomen and rectum
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Feeling of tightness in the rectum
Colon Cancer Treatment
If colon cancer is confined to the intestine, it is treated surgically, and quite encouraging results can be obtained. If it has spread to the lymph nodes outside the intestine, the main treatment is still surgery; however, protective drug treatment (chemotherapy) is applied after the surgery. If the cancer has spread to certain organs, surgery can be performed to a certain extent, but this time the main treatment is chemotherapy. Surgery may also be necessary to remove the cancer from the organs it has spread to. For example, if it has spread to the liver, surgery is performed for that purpose.
