case story
28-year-old Xiaoli has been suffering from mild anemia in physical examinations in recent years. She has no obvious symptoms of discomfort. She thinks it should be fine, so she doesn’t take it to heart. This year, Xiaoli felt dizzy from time to time, and always felt weak when she was working, so she went to the hospital for treatment. The result of the fecal occult blood test was ++, and the doctor further arranged for a colonoscopy, and the final diagnosis was colon cancer. The doctor immediately arranged hospitalization and surgery for Xiaoli.
Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, and its morbidity and mortality rank second and third among all malignant tumors, respectively.
Previous studies have shown that colorectal cancer is indeed a high incidence following the age of 50, but in recent years colorectal cancer has a clear trend of getting younger. Moreover, young people are not as alert to cancer as middle-aged and elderly people, and they don’t care regarding symptoms, and the diagnosis time is late. Compared with middle-aged and elderly people, colorectal cancer in young people tends to have a higher degree of malignancy and rapid progression, and is prone to recurrence and metastasis following surgery, with a poor prognosis.
Although the early warning of colorectal cancer is hidden, there are still clues to follow, so don’t ignore it. Colon cancer often leads to changes in bowel habits, such as changes in the time of bowel movements, increased or decreased volume, changes in the thickness of stools, diarrhea or constipation, etc. Due to the contact and friction between the tumor and the feces, the surface of the tumor is ulcerated and causes bleeding. If the tumor is close to the anus, the blood will be bright red. If it is far away, the bloody stool will be dark red. It is often mistaken for hemorrhoids and delays treatment. Bloating and abdominal pain may occur due to the growth of the mass, which prevents the passage of stool. In addition, bowel cancer can cause long-term chronic blood loss, and patients will show symptoms related to anemia, such as dizziness, palpitation, and fatigue.
Even if you have colorectal cancer, there is no need to be afraid. The treatment of colorectal cancer has developed rapidly, including surgery and drug treatment. With the popularization of minimally invasive technology, the proportion of minimally invasive surgery for colorectal cancer is also increasing. Only a few small holes in the stomach can solve the problem. In recent years, there is also the emergence of robotic surgery systems to take specimens through natural orifices, which further reduces surgical trauma and speeds up the recovery of patients. Immunotherapy research is also advancing by leaps and bounds. For colorectal cancer with microsatellite instability or mismatch repair gene deletion, immunotherapy has significantly improved the survival chance of patients compared with traditional chemotherapy.
To prevent colorectal cancer, we must start from daily life, especially young people should not be regarded as the capital of health. The first thing to do is to develop a healthy lifestyle. Reduce the intake of red meat and processed meat, increase the intake of fruits and vegetables, moderate intake of nuts and dairy products, and control the intake of sodium; secondly, quit smoking and stay away from second-hand smoke; thirdly, avoid heavy drinking and high frequency drinking ; Control weight, avoid obesity and diabetes, and those who already have obesity or diabetes should lose weight or control diabetes in time; in addition, moderate physical exercise is also required.
If there are early warning symptoms of colorectal cancer, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Young people with a family history of colorectal cancer should be screened for colorectal cancer earlier, and they can consult their doctors regarding the specific screening plan and time.
