Written By: Debjani Arora | Published : April 12, 2018 2:40 PM IST
Colon cancer even known as colorectal cancer is a kind of cancer that affects the colon and the rectum. It was once prevalent in the west with fewer people in India being affected by the same. However, with changing times, a sedentary lifestyle and bad eating habits like dependency on junk, low fibre intake and lack of other micronutrients in the diet today a large number of Indians are falling prey to this cancer. Here are few questions you need to ask your doctor if you are suffering from colon cancer.
According to the WHO, in 2015, 774 000 deaths were recorded worldwide. Most colorectal cancers develop from precancerous polyps. These polyps attach themselves to the lining of the colon where they begin to grow. Polyps are of two types - adenomatous (become cancerous over time) and hyperplastic. Screening for colorectal cancer usually involves a colonoscopy every five years. If you fall in the high-risk category it is even more crucial that you go for regular screening to detect cancer early and get treated in time. Read to know if alcohol consumption can lead to colon cancer
There are people who are more at risk of developing colon cancer than others. Here Dr Ajay Kumar, Executive Director Gastroenterology, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute lists down the risk factors:
If you have any of these risk factors, especially polyps in the lining of the colon, it is necessary to get screened every five years to detect the nature of the polyps and check if they have turned cancerous. Here is all you need to know about colon cancer screening.
However, talk to your doctor and know when you should go for the first screening. If you have a family history, indulge in vices like smoking and drinking, you are over 50 years of age then your doctor might want you to go for a screening to know the health status of your colon. If there are any kind of benign polyps found in the lining of the colon your doctor might want to monitor the same asking you to go for a screening every five years.
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