COLORECTAL CANCER IS ONE OF THE MOST DEADLY

It has been known that colorectal colon cancer claimed the lives of 935,000 people in 2020, according to the WHO (World Health Organization).

This type of cancer affects the lower intestinal portions of the digestive system, the colon, and the rectum. Moreover, tumors can develop anywhere in the colon or rectum. If colorectal cancer cells spread outside of the colon or rectum, they often travel to nearby lymph nodes, sometimes called lymph glands. Colorectal cancer can also spread to other parts of the body, especially the liver, and sometimes to the lungs, bones, and other organs.

Some of the symptoms of colorectal cancer are:

Diarrhea or constipation.
Feeling that the intestine is not empty completely.
Blood in the feces.
Frequent gas pains or cramps.
Weight loss for no reason.
Fatigue.
Nausea or vomiting.

The risk of developing colorectal cancer is related to family precedent. Compared with the general population, people with a family precedent of colorectal cancer deal with a double risk of developing the disease.

Most patients with this disease and older than 50 years are diagnosed in the early stages, but in 2019 the NCI, national cancer institute, studies revealed that the majority of younger patients and survivors of this disease, 71%, said they were diagnosed in the advanced stages of 3 and 4.

Besides, the American Cancer Society updated its colorectal cancer screening guidelines in 2018 to recommend that average-risk adults be screened starting at age 45 instead of 50, as previously advised. Screening options can range from having a highly sensitive fecal test annually to having a colonoscopy every 10 years.

Colorectal cancer is highly treatable if detected early. The American Cancer Society reduced the recommended age to start screening from 50 to 45 in 2018. Tests can detect precancerous growths and remove them. Also, the treatment for this type of cancer includes surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

Finally, a study published in 2019 established that anal cancer cases and deaths are increasing dramatically in the United States, especially among older people and young black men. From 2001 to 2015, cases of the most common type of anal cancer increased by 2.7% per year, while anal cancer death rates increased by 3.1% per year from 2001 to 2016.

Reference:Melissa Velásquez Loaiza, Mariana Toro Nader, 2022.4th February, ¿Cuáles son los tipos de cáncer más comunes y cuáles son los más mortales?, https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2022/02/04/cancer-tipos-comunes-mortales-como-saber-orix/