Cancer is the leading cause of death in the world and one of the types of cancer with the highest number of dysfunctions globally is colorectal cancer, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Likewise, in the Americas, colon cancer is the fourth most common, since each year there are more than 240,000 new cases and approximately 1,120,000 deaths from this disease. It is estimated that by the year 2030 the incidence of this cancer will increase by 60%.
In accordance with Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit entity dedicated to clinical practice, education, and research, this type of cancer begins to form malignant cells in the tissues of the colon. This organ is part of the digestive system, which extracts and processes nutrients from food and helps eliminate waste materials in the body.
In general, the signs of colon cancer are usually the presence of blood in the stool or changes in bowel habits. However, there are other symptoms that can alert a person:
- Persistent abdominal discomfort, such as cramps, gas, or pain.
- A feeling that the intestine does not empty completely.
- weakness or fatigue
- Weight loss without apparent cause.
- In many cases, people with this type of cancer often have no symptoms in the early stages of the disease.
Until now, health specialists do not know the cause of these malignant cells in the colon. However, it is known that this begins to develop when healthy colon cells have changes in their DNA.
Likewise, there are risk factors such as age, family history, intestinal conditions, hereditary syndromes or diseases such as diabetes that increase the risk of this disease.
How to prevent colon cancer according to Harvard?
According to a Harvard University study that analyzed 7,216 people between the ages of 55 and 80, for six years, five healthy habits help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by 48%:
In addition to this, a study of the Journal of Clinical Oncology which analyzed 75,000 people for more than ten years, determined that, specifically, moderate physical exercise, practiced on a regular basis, is essential to reduce the risk of colon cancer.
Regarding diet, a study from Tufts University published in the medical journal British Medical Journal noted that men who eat high amounts of ultra-processed foods face a higher risk of developing colon cancer than those who don’t.
For this reason, these types of foods should be avoided: processed meats such as hot dogs or bacon, frozen foods, sodas, and fast food.
Meanwhile, Fang Zhang, an epimediologist at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, points out that it has been shown that the consumption of foods such as yogurt can “counteract the harmful effect” of other types of ultra-processed foods in the case of women.
“A lot of the reliance on these types of foods is due to factors such as access to food and convenience for consumers,” Zhang explained. He explained the importance of eating healthy foods to eliminate the risk of suffering from this disease, because “we must make consumers aware of the risks associated with consuming unhealthy foods in large quantities and make healthier options easier to choose” .