Colorectal cancer is the third commonest cancer in the world. It is commoner in males than females. 90% of patients with colorectal cancer are more than 50 years while just 5% of the patients are below the age of 40 years. About 700,000 people worldwide died of colorectal cancer in 2012.
Symptoms of colorectal cancer include the following: bleeding from anus, diarrhea, constipation, mucoid discharge, abdominal discomfort (pain, fullness cramp), bloating, weight loss, anorexia, tiredness, vomiting and feeling of incomplete evacuation after defecating.
Signs of colorectal cancer include: pallor, hepatomegaly (liver enlargement), ascites and cachexia.
RISK FACTORS FOR DEVELOPING COLORECTAL CANCER
- Male gender
- Positive family history of colorectal cancer
- Low folate consumption: Eating less of vegetables and fruits INCREASE your risk of developing colorectal cancer. Therefore, eating more of fruits and vegetables PREVENT you from having the disease.
- Consumption of processed meat
- Excessive alcohol intake
- Personal history of colorectal, ovarian and breast cancer
- Obesity
- Ulcerative colitis
- Crohn’s disease of the colon
INVESTIGATIONS
Your doctor may request for the following investigations:
- Colonoscopy
- Stool microscopy
- Plain x-ray of the abdomen
- Sigmoidoscopy
- Double contrast barium enema
- Other investigations include: Full blood count, blood urea level, electrolyte, Liver function test, CT scan of the abdomen.
TREATMENT
Treatment options include:
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Radiotherapy
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Dr. Adeyemo Olusola is a medical graduate of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, Nigeria along with certificate in advanced diploma in Principles of Nutrition, Management and Leadership, Dublin and Certificate in Global Health from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. In addition to his numerous certifications, he is a certified Telemedicine Physician from Harvard Medical School, USA. He is an avid reader of books from different oases of life, expert in Medical Statistics and an award winner at both local and international level. “So many a time, I have seen people die avoidable death because of lack of knowledge or information, falling victim of fate. There is then a necessity laid on us to help arm our society to the teeth, as a healthy society cannot be detached from an informed one. Hence, there is need for healthgist.net. We hope you will have a wonderful stay on our website.”
