Colorectal cancer Causes and also Risk Factors
You or a family member has been diagnosed with Colorectal cancer and also you want to know what lead to this cancer. Doctors do not know the exact cause of Colorectal cancer, but they do know that it usually starts as small growths on the inside of the colon called polyps. These polyps could take years to grow large enough to be seen during a routine colonoscopy and also then it takes several more years for those polyps to become cancerous.
While the exact cause of Colorectal cancer is unknown, there are several risk factors that could increase your own chances of developing this cancer. A risk factor is something that could raise the chances of you developing cancer or another disease. Some risk factors such as age, cannot be changed while others, such as diet, could be modified and also reduce the risk. The risk factors for Colorectal cancer range from age to hereditary diseases.
The first risk factor for Colorectal cancer is the most common. It is your own age. Approximately 90% of all Colorectal cancer cases are found in people over the age of 50. In fact, many of these cases have no other risk factors, making this the most important factor in developent of this cancer. This is the reaon many doctors advise getting a colonoscopy as part of your own annual exam starting at age 50.
Another risk factor for developing Colorectal cancer is your own family medical history and also any hereditary diseases that might affect the development of colon polyps. Whether a member of your own immediate family (parents, siblings, or children) has had Colorectal cancer, you are more likely to develop it. The risk depends upon how many relatives have had it, how old they were when they were diagnosed and also whether the history spans multiple generations. This is referred to as a strong family history of Colorectal cancer and also might be caused by genetic mutations. These mutations are more common in certain ethnic groups, for example, Jews of Eastern European heritage. Whether this is your own case, you might want to have a blood test to check for any genetic mutations.
These genetic changes could lead to several conditions, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis (AFAP) and also hereditary nonpolyposis Colorectal cancer (HNPCC). All of these genetic conditions could develop into Colorectal cancer, whether left untreated. These conditions are rare and also few of the people diagnosed with Colorectal cancer actually have them.
Your own medical history also contributes to your own risk of developing Colorectal cancer. Your own risk is higher whether you have had any cancer in the past. Large polyps, even after removal, could increase your own chances of developing Colorectal cancer. There are also certain diseases that could increase your own risk of Colorectal cancer, such as ulcerative colitis and also Crohn disease.
The final and also easiest to change - risk factors are diet, exercise and also habits. A high fat, high calorie and also high protein diet has been shown to increase the chances of you developing Colorectal cancer. This type of diet might also contribute to another risk factor, weight. Lack of exercise also contributes to your own risk. You could minimize these three risk factors by making some simple changes such as eating more fruits and also vegetables and also startning exercise. These two changes would help you lose weight and also improve your own diet. Smoking and also drinking also contribute to Colorectal cancer risk. Some studies have shown that smoking increases your own chance of developing Colorectal cancer. Alcoholics are also at an increased risk for Colorectal cancer because of their alcohol consumption. Studies have shown that drinking more than 2 drinks a day increases the risk of Colorectal cancer.
