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Colorectal cancer: If you meet 7 requirements, it is better to take preventive measures

2022-05-27T06:48:11.533Z


Colorectal cancer: Find out how big your risk is with seven signs Created: 05/27/2022, 08:41 By: Jasmin Pospiech Colorectal cancer is considered to be insidious and one of the most common forms of cancer. It is often recognized too late. The first symptoms should make you prick up your ears. Munich – Around 61,000 people develop bowel cancer every year in Germany, and according to the “Ärztebl


Colorectal cancer: Find out how big your risk is with seven signs

Created: 05/27/2022, 08:41

By: Jasmin Pospiech

Colorectal cancer is considered to be insidious and one of the most common forms of cancer.

It is often recognized too late.

The first symptoms should make you prick up your ears.

Munich – Around 61,000 people develop bowel cancer every year in Germany, and according to the “Ärzteblatt”, almost 25,000 eventually die from it.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, also worldwide.

It often remains undetected for a long time, but regular check-ups could detect or even prevent many diseases in good time.

Few of those affected recognize the first signs or preliminary stages.

Benign growths in the intestinal mucosa (polyps) can begin to proliferate and malignant tumors can develop in various places in the intestine as early as ten to 15 years before the colorectal cancer causes symptoms.

In a colonoscopy, also known as a colonoscopy, polyps can be detected early as part of colon cancer screening and removed by doctors as a precaution.

Colorectal cancer: Find out how big your risk is with 7 signs

But some people are at greater risk of developing colon cancer than others.

Are you one of them?

The following seven points can indicate this:

1. You are 50 or older.

An unhealthy lifestyle and lack of exercise can lead to serious diseases.

(Iconic image) © Jens Büttner/dpa

The risk of colon cancer increases with age, as the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) shows.

According to this, the average age of contracting the disease is 69 for men and 75 for women.

Since the first signs usually appear earlier, the RKI recommends annual colon cancer screening for everyone over the age of 50.

This is a stool test, from the age of 55 a colonoscopy is recommended, which should be repeated after ten years.

2. You have blood in your stool.

Anyone who has ever had blood in their stool knows how frightening it is.

Although this can have many health reasons, in any case it is an alarm signal that should not be downplayed.

After all, it can indicate a serious condition like colon cancer.

That is why it is always advisable to see a doctor to have it checked out.

If, on the other hand, you “only” have stomach pains or frequent constipation, this is usually harmless.

However, if your intestines are constantly rumbling, you should also see a doctor.

3. You've had polyps before.

If polyps proliferate in the intestine, you can significantly increase the risk of colon cancer.

If you have had these benign growths in the past and have had them removed, it is all the more advisable to go to regular colon cancer screening and follow-up care.

After all, this is the only way for the doctor to recognize whether polyps are forming again and treat them at an early stage.

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4. You have a hereditary or family history.

According to the German Cancer Research Center, anyone who has had colon cancer in their family also has a greater risk of developing it.

However, a distinction is made between hereditary and familial colon cancer.

In the former, men and women are equally affected.

This is often the hereditary non-polypoid colon carcinoma (HNPCC) or also called Lynch syndrome.

It is the most common cause of hereditary colon cancer.

If there is a family history of hereditary cancer, you should talk to your doctor about your own personal risk and take appropriate precautionary measures.

By the way: Lynch syndrome patients can regularly have a colonoscopy from the age of 25.

5. You have a chronic bowel disease like Crohn's disease.

Like ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract.

The lower small intestine and the transition to the large intestine are often affected, as reported by the medical portal "internists online".

Unlike colitis, Crohn's disease cannot be cured.

Studies have shown that intestinal diseases such as Crohn's disease can promote cancer.

So if you have chronic intestinal inflammation, you should have your intestines checked regularly.

The reason: If the intestinal mucosa is inflamed, polyps also have an easier time developing.

6. You have type 2 diabetes.

In addition to chronic bowel disease, diabetes can also significantly increase the risk of developing colon cancer.

This is based on the fact that patients often have to inject insulin as a result of the treatment in order to lower their blood sugar or keep it stable.

However, according to the "diabetes information portal", the important hormone should also have a growth-promoting effect and thus promote the development of tumor cells.

If you have type 2 diabetes, it is therefore advisable to check with your doctor whether a colonoscopy would be advisable.

7. You live unhealthily.

Smoking, too much fast food and little exercise is a guarantee that sooner or later you will fall ill with one of the common diseases.

This includes cancer.

In order to prevent this, it is therefore advisable to do moderate sport regularly and to adhere to the dietary guidelines of the German Society for Nutrition (DGE).

That means drinking plenty of water, eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, and eating less red meat and more whole grains.

If you smoke a lot, you should massively reduce your use of cigarettes or find out about smoking cessation.

This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication.

In no way does it replace a visit to the doctor.

Unfortunately, our editors are not allowed to answer individual questions about clinical pictures.

Source: merkur

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