Colon cancer is a disease that appears with the growth of malignant cells within the lumen of the intestine. In our country it is the second most frequent in women, after breast cancer, and in men, after prostate cancer. Approximately 14 to 20 people out of every 100,000 inhabitants develop colon cancer in our population.
Although the exact causes of colon cancer are not known, as explained by Dr. Sandra Avendaño, a specialist in general surgery and colon, rectal and anal surgery at the Grupo Quirónsalud Clinic, “there are risk factors that influence the development of this disease, aging being the main one of these factors; Obesity, alcoholism, smoking and a diet low in fiber and high in unsaturated fats also have an impact.
Detecting the predisposition to this disease before it develops is crucial to prevent it, so when reaching the age of 45, the specialist advises starting preventive check-ups, so that, upon reaching this age, both men and women, Even without experiencing symptoms, a general colonoscopy is performed, which must be repeated every 5 years. “Sometimes, on the surface of the intestinal mucosa, polyps appear -premalignant lesions- that could lead to colon cancer, if these are removed, the disease can be avoided, even if this cancer is detected at an early stage, it can be cure completely” adds Dr. Avendaño.
Regarding the symptoms, Dr. Avendaño recommends us to be alert, since these generally appear in late stages of the disease, so, in their presence, a specialist should be consulted. These are: blood in the stool, changes in bowel habits, that is, frequent episodes of diarrhea or constipation begin to appear that do not improve with medical management, anemia (especially in people over 50 years of age), weight loss, and appetite. without apparent explanation, abdominal pain and sensation of masses, changes in the shape of the stool (thin as ribbons), exhaustion or extreme sleepiness.
Having a healthy body is the best recommendation to prevent colon cancer, therefore, having good habits will lead us to have a good life, even if calendars go by. Therefore, keep in mind to follow these recommendations:
- Avoid overweight and obesity.
- Decreases (almost to 0) the consumption of liquor.
- Try to eat a diet low in fat and rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables and legumes (5 servings a day of any of them). It is important to take into account that, although no food is harmful, some, in excess, can favor the appearance of this disease, among them are red meat (it is recommended to consume them 2 times a week), sausages or processed foods
- Perform physical activity on a regular basis.
- Reduce alcohol consumption to almost zero.
- Completely avoid smoking.
- Consume 5 to 8 glasses of water or liquid a day.