2023-09-26 23:00:00
Colon cancer is one of the many diseases that can affect the digestive system. Malignant cells settle in this part of the body, the longest part of the large intestine, whose function is to extract nutrients and water from the food you eat, as medical literature explains.
To act early once morest the disease, scientific studies have determined the ideal age for you to have an early screening test.
(Also: Colon cancer: what it is and what are the habits that help prevent its appearance).
In Colombia, this type of cancer has occupied third place on the list of prioritized cancers. As of February 28, 2023, 34,644 cases of colon and rectal cancer had been reported, according to figures from the High Cost Account technical body of the General Social Security Health System.
You should keep in mind that age will always be a “major risk factor” for developing cancer. “It increases as you age,” says the American Cancer Institute.
Detecting it in time will be essential for doctors to act and be able to treat it effectively before, perhaps, it spreads to other organs and metastasizes, compromising your life.
(See: Cancer in those under 50 years of age increased: in three decades the global incidence grew 79%).
When to get tested if you don’t have symptoms? On this point there are disagreements between two groups of important experts: the American College of Physicians and a renowned doctor from Harvard University.
At what age should you be tested for colon cancer?
A recent study from the American College of Physicians (United States), published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, recommends that people should be screened when they are 50 years old if they are asymptomatic.
Colon cancer generates malignant cells in the digestive system.
The specialists considered that doctors should not perform screening tests for adults without symptoms between 45 and 49 years old.
In addition, they urged to “suspend” testing in asymptomatic adults at average risk who are older than 75 years or “in asymptomatic adults at average risk with a life expectancy of 10 years or less,” the scientific document reads.
(See: Colon cancer: what causes it and what habits can help reduce the risk?).
As they describe, testing at age 50 can bring important benefits when it comes to treatment: the identification and removal of “precancerous lesions or localized cancer that can progress and cause morbidity and mortality.”
What is the age to be screened for colon cancer, according to Harvard?
The other age to undergo tests is 45 years. That number is supported by the US Multisociety Task Force on Colorectal Cancer.
Andrew T. Chan, professor at Harvard Medical School, supports in an article for the prestigious university that patients go to the doctor long before they are 50 years old.
“Promoting earlier detection will help curb the rise in early-onset cases, at least among people in their 40s. We have also seen that earlier colonoscopies may be associated with a lower incidence of colon cancer, even at earlier stages.” most advanced stages of life,” he says.
(You can read: Foods that can increase the risk of colon cancer).
The doctor relies on official figures from the United States that indicate an “alarming increase” in cases of colon cancer in people under 50 years of age, so he does not believe that we should wait to detect it.
What are the tests to detect colon cancer?
There are several procedures to examine the colon and detect cancer. For example, there is stool blood testing, rectal examination, and colonoscopy.
The latter consists of introducing a colonoscope (like a tube) through the rectum until it reaches the colon. It is armed with a light and lens that allows the doctor to see the state of the organ.
(Keep reading: Salmonella bacteria increases colon cancer risk.)
Havard’s Dr. Chan acknowledges that colonoscopy is not the initial screening test for everyone because of the time required. However, he invites you to do something before it’s too late.
“The worst option is to do nothing, because early detection and treatment can prevent deaths,” he comments.
The symptoms of colon cancer that you should pay close attention to
If you have any of the following symptoms described by the US Cancer Institute, you should see your doctor:
Change in intestinal habits. Blood in the stool, bright red or very dark). Diarrhea, constipation, or the feeling that the intestine is not emptying completely. Thinner stools than normal. Frequent gas pain, abdominal distension, feeling of fullness or cramps. Weight loss for no known reason. Feeling very tired. Vomiting.
Once you receive a diagnosis, you can begin the appropriate treatment, as established by the specialists.
Colon cancer: these are the new four symptoms
You can also read:
– Colon cancer: surprising medication; They refer all patients.
– Colon cancer would be linked to old age, according to new research.
– Colon cancer: drug trial manages to eliminate malignant cells.
– Coconut water: the benefits of consuming this potassium-rich drink
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