Bad habits during life can completely compromise the health of the digestive system
7 Jan
2023
– 08:07
(updated 9/1/2023 18:04)
According to data from the INCA (National Cancer Institute), the bowel cancer it is the third most frequent type among men. It is second only to prostate and lung cancer. In addition, it is also the second most common in women, second only to breast cancer. Thus, the condition covers cancers that start in the large intestine (colon), rectum (end of intestine), and anus.
Causes and symptoms of bowel cancer
According to Artur Ferreira, oncologist at CPO/Oncoclínicas, most of these tumors result from malignant transformation of the cells that cover these organs. That is, the problem tends to be serious. Therefore, caution must be exercised.
“As a group, they have numerous causes, among which being overweight and obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, smoking and alcoholism stand out. In addition to the high consumption of red and processed meat, low fiber and vegetable intake, diabetes and to infections such as hepatitis B and C, Helicobarter Pylori infection and Human Papillomavirus infection, HPV,” he explains.
Furthermore, according to Renata D’Alpino, leader of the specialty of gastrointestinal tumors, blood in the stool can be an early sign that something is wrong with your health. “Many people usually attribute this event to other conventional causes, such as hemorrhoids, and end up putting off seeking medical advice and carrying out specific tests. This means that many people only discover cancer at an advanced stage,” he clarifies she.
Doctors say that cancer is often discovered only after more serious symptoms, such as anemia, unexplained constipation or diarrhea, weakness, gas and abdominal cramps, or even weight loss.
Diagnosis and prevention
The main form of prevention and diagnosis is through the colonoscopic examination. Made with a flexible tube and a camera at the end, where it is introduced into the intestine, it takes pictures that reveal the presence of any changes. Thus allowing also the removal of polyps and biopsies of suspicious lesions.
In Brazil, the Ministry of Health recommends starting colon and rectal cancer screening in the normal-risk adult population in the age group of 50. But many countries have already reduced it to 45 years.
Treatment
It all depends on the type and location of the cancer and also how it looks, is located or is spreading. However, in general, the approach may include surgery, chemotherapy (combined or not with radiation therapy), targeted drug therapies, and immunotherapy.
According to Artur, these are diseases that are potentially curable if diagnosed in their early stages. “They’re practically incurable when they’re spread throughout the body, in metastases,” he adds.
Therefore, early screening is important so that the diagnosis catches the cancer at an early stage and the chance of a cure is higher.
Sources: Artur Ferreira, oncologist at CPO/Oncoclínicas; Heber Salvador de Castro Ribeiro, oncological surgeon and vice president of the Brazilian Society of Oncological Surgery; Renata D’Alpino, oncologist and leader of the specialty of gastrointestinal and neuroendocrine tumors at Grupo Oncoclínicas.
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