Colon cancer is one of the cancers with the highest rates in humans and the most frequent in the digestive system.
Its appearance is related to long-term changes in colon polyps, which become malignant and it also has genetic and hereditary factors. Inadequate diet has also been shown to be an important factor in the development of colon cancer.
Colon cancer rates vary widely between countries, ranging from 1 to 51 cases per 10,000 inhabitants. In Spain there are thought to be around 4,000 new cases every year and in more than 70% of these new cases, tumours developed in people aged over 50, so age is regarded as a primary risk factor. When an early diagnosis is made, the current survival rate is around 85%.
The most important point to make in terms of causes of this type of cancer is the link to colon polyps (benign growths) which over time may undergo a number of changes in their structure and turn into malignant tumours.
Another significant issue is an inadequate diet and it’s known that continuously eating excessive amounts of animal fats (red meats) increase the risk of developing colon cancer by between 12-17%. Eating high amounts of fibre appears to be significant and countries with a diet high in fibre have lower colon cancer rates. Similarly, the role of calcium and folic acid in reducing the risk of developing colon cancer has also been proved, so it’s advisable to consume them on a regular basis.
Treatment for colorectal carcinoma has made good progress over the last few decades and this is linked with better knowledge of the disease and of the agents and causes behind it, as well as of modern diagnostic methods and in particular of early diagnosis. All these factors have led to more effective treatment for the process, which, depending on certain aspects, consists of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, although in a considerable number of cases, surgery resolves the problem without the need for additional therapies.
The many experimental studies being carried out at present on colorectal cancer are intended to increase knowledge about how it develops and there is an increasing body of research into how genetic and hereditary disorders are linked to certain cancers that run in families or are hereditary.
At the moment, early diagnosis is the most positive factor for achieving a good outcome in the treatment of colorectal cancer.
Knowledge of the symptoms associated with colorectal cancer and treating them as important in order to get an early diagnosis should be a top priority, especially in the so-called at-risk group of people over the age of 50. It’s also important to acknowledge the benefits of the prevention campaigns carried out systematically across a number of regions as well as in large companies that have become aware of the problem and run tests aimed at getting an early diagnosis in at-risk groups and the over-50s.
Lastly, it’s important to remember that between 20 and 25% of all colon tumours have either a family history or are genetic in origin and that 1st and 2nd degree relatives of these patients are likely to suffer this disease, generally at an earlier age. This means that they should undergo diagnostic testing to detect any problems and take the appropriate measures to receive effective treatment.
Dr. Manuel Hidalgo Pascual
