Lower Your Colorectal Cancer Risk with Healthy Choices
Are you at risk of developing colorectal cancers? One of the most common forms of cancer in the country, colorectal cancers affect thousands of Americans every year, as well as their families. Thankfully, detecting this cancer early can be a literal lifesaver, and preventing it is as easy as incorporating more healthy habits into your everyday life.
Colorectal Cancer Stats
Aside from skin cancers, colorectal cancers are the third-most common cancers diagnosed in American men and women, according to the American Cancer Society, which estimates about 108,860 new cases of colon cancer and 49,990 new cases of rectal cancer will be diagnosed in 2026. The rate of diagnosis has steadily declined since the 1980s, due in part to more widespread awareness and more frequent screenings. However, the American Cancer Society reports rates increased in patients ages 50 or younger by 2.9% per year from 2013-2022. During that same period, diagnosis rates rose by 0.4% per year for patients ages 50-64. In older adults, research has pointed to a decline in deaths, which have dropped by about 1.5% per year.
What Are the Symptoms?
Because colorectal cancers often bleed into the digestive tract, the American Cancer Society reports, one of the earliest symptoms of colorectal cancer is a low red blood cell count as a result of cancer-induced anemia. Other symptoms include the following:
- Blood in the stool
- Changes in bowel movements like diarrhea, constipation, or narrowing of the stool
- Cramping or abdominal pain
- Fatigue
- Rectal bleeding
- A persistent feeling of needing to have a bowel movement even after going
- Weakness
- Weight loss without trying to lose weight
Screening & Treatment
The earlier colorectal cancer is detected, the easier it is to treat, the American Cancer Society reports. Numerous screening options — including stool-based tests —are available, but one of the most effective screening methods is a visual examination of the rectum and colon, known as a colonoscopy. During this procedure, the patient is sedated and the physician views the colon using a colonoscope, a long, thin, flexible tube with a small camera attached. Any polyps found during the procedure can be immediately removed. The entire procedure takes about a half-hour. The American Cancer Society recommends patients at average risk schedule a colonoscopy every 10 years beginning at age 45.
After a diagnosis, numerous treatment options may be available depending on what stage the cancer has progressed to. Options may include local treatments like surgery — which may include colectomy or transanal excision — ablation and embolization, and radiation therapy. Colorectal cancers may also be approached using systemic treatments, using drugs delivered either orally or intravenously. These can include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy drugs.
What’s My Risk?
While factors like age, genetics, and inherited conditions like Gardner syndrome and Turcot syndrome can increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer, numerous personal choices can also impact your chances. However, simply altering certain habits can lower your chances. Some common risk factors for colorectal cancer — and ways to reduce your risk — include the following:
- Weight — People who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of receiving a colorectal cancer diagnosis later in life. Maintaining a healthy weight, on the other hand, can lower those odds.
- Diet — Longtime diets with high amounts of red meat and processed meats as well as a low blood level of vitamin D can raise the risk of colorectal cancer. Additionally, frying, broiling, and grilling meats can create chemicals linked to colorectal cancers. To lower your risk, follow a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while limiting red and processed meats and sugary drinks.
- Type 2 diabetes — Patients with type 2 diabetes are more likely to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer later in life than those without, due in part to the fact that both diseases share similar risk factors like body weight and physical inactivity. Furthermore, research shows patients with type 2 diabetes typically have a less favorable prognosis than others. Maintaining a healthy weight, getting plenty of physical activity, and eating a healthy diet are all great ways to avoid your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- Smoking — Though most commonly linked with lung cancer, smoking also carries a significant risk of developing other types of cancer, including colorectal cancers. Smoking also increases the risk of developing colon polyps, which may turn into cancer if left untreated. Quitting smoking can yield numerous health benefits, but lowering your risk of developing colorectal cancer is among the most significant.
- Alcohol — Moderate to heavy drinking has been linked to developing colorectal cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Either quit drinking altogether or limit your intake to no more than two drinks per day for men or one drink per day for women.
Schedule your screening today at Culbertson Memorial Hospital. Colonoscopy procedures are available from John Bozdech, MD, FACP, FACG, Adam Niemann, MD, and James Thiele, MD, FACS, FASCRS. For more information or to schedule your screening, contact the Outpatient Specialty Clinics at (217) 322-4321, ext. 5271.