Colorectal cancer

What Is Colorectal cancer?

Development of cancerous growth in rectum and colon is called colorectal cancer. The rectum and colon are present in the lower part of the digestive system in the large intestine. The food you eat will pass through the stomach, small intestine, and the colon. In turn, the colon absorbs the required nutrients and then collects the waste matter. This waste matter is called the stool, and it moves to the rectum from the colon and is excreted through the anus.

The majority of the time colorectal cancers start from the cells that release mucus and called as adenocarcinomas. A growth known as polyp begins to form on the inner walls of the rectum or the colon. Polyps develop cancer over a period. Identifying the polyps and removing them, in the beginning, can prevent you from colorectal cancer.

The fourth type of cancer commonly present among people in the USA is colorectal cancer. Death rates have come down due to the use of colonoscopies. Faecal occult blood tests help in knowing about cancer at an early stage, and this prevents death.

What Are The Symptoms Of Colorectal cancer?

The Local and Systemic are the two categories in which colorectal cancer’s symptoms become evident to the patient.

Local Colorectal Cancer: The local signs have a direct impact on the rectum or colon. If you experience any one or more symptoms as mentioned below for an extended period, then consult a medical practitioner.

• Variations in the bowel habits.
• Chronic Constipation.
• Diarrhoea.
• Diarrhoea and constipation following each other often.
• Bleeding found in the rectum.
• Bloating in the abdomen. Any discomfort or cramp in the abdomen.
• When you always have an urge to pass a motion.
• Thinner stools than ever before.

Systemic Colorectal Cancer: Systemic colorectal cancer symptoms experience a disturbance in the whole body. When you think you suffer from one or many of the below-mentioned symptoms for over a period, then you must not wait to check with a doctor.

• Drastic loss of the weight.
• Loss of appetite.
• Vomiting or Nausea.
• Becoming Anaemic.
• Jaundice
• Feeling Weak or tired often.

What Are The Causes Of Colorectal cancer?

Most of the time reason behind any cancer is not evident. Colorectal cancer is no exception to it. When there is a change in the appearance of healthy colon cells, then doctors suspect a disease. Usually, cells grow and get further divided in an orderly manner. When the cell’s DNA undergo damage, it becomes cancerous and shows a rapid and abnormal cell division. Due to the accumulation of many unwanted cells forms a tumor. In due course of time, the cancer cells start invading and destroying the normal tissues present closer to it. The cancer cells also travel to all part of the body.

Hereditary Gene Mutations Increases The Danger Of ColorectalCancer

• The inherited genes get connected to the Colorectal cancer only in a limited percentage. Inherited gene mutations need not result in cancer always but increases the risk rate.
• The inherited colorectal cancer syndromes are:

Lynch Syndrome or Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC)-  Individuals with Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer might develop Colorectal cancer even before completing fifty years.

FAP - Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)- Thousands of polyps develops on the lining of the rectum and colon. But this phenomenon is usually rare. When familial adenomatous polyposis is left untreated, then it becomes a cancerous course on or before one completes forty years.

Undergo genetic testing and detect Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer, familial adenomatous polyposis, and any other kind of inherited colorectal cancer syndromes. Please consult your doctor and take necessary precautionary steps to protect your colon.

What Are The Things One Should Do To Manage Colorectal cancer?

 

• An individual should go for screening tests for checking the existence of a colorectal or similar cancer after the age of 50. Such individuals have a higher risk of getting such cancer, so screening can help detect it before it gets late.
• Patients may also go for a Faecal Occult Blood testing (FOBT) to examine their stool and check for this cancer’s presence. If the tests are abnormal, then a colonoscopy test should be taken.

• Any person who is in the advanced stages of colorectal cancer may go for palliative care, which is a multidisciplinary medical care approach for cancer patients. 

What Are The Things One Should Avoid To Manage Colorectal cancer?

• Do not rush into for a treatment of this disease as it may not necessarily be fatal to a patient immediately. A polyp in one’s colon may take many years to develop into cancer, which is why immediate treatment such as a surgery is not necessary.
• Do not consume laxatives that may lead to further complications in the intestines.

What Are The Best Foods For Colorectal cancer?

Nutrients that should be consumed when suffering from Colorectal cancer are as follows:

• Folic Acid: Folic acids combat cancer. But few studies also show an opposite result. But folic acid supplement forms new tissues and cells. It also helps to keep the red blood cells healthy. So have food rich in folic acid and avoid medicines. Include more spinach’s, and citrus fruits.
• Vitamin D and Calcium: Most of you think that Vitamin D and Calcium strengthen the bones. But it also greatly helps in fighting colorectal cancer. Include calcium-rich foods like dark green leafy vegetables, sardines, salmon, yogurt, and cheese, etc. Sources rich in Vitamin D include chicken livers, egg yolks, fortified cow's milk, sardines, and salmon. Remember to spend twenty minutes in the sun either before 10 in the morning or after 3 in the afternoon to receive more Vitamin D.
• Fibre Rich Food: Fibre improves the colon movement and hence helps to fight Colorectal cancer. Consume food rich in fiber including brown rice, vegetables, fruits, legumes, kidney beans, and the whole-grain cereals.
• Cruciferous Vegetables: The cruciferous vegetables like kohlrabi, rutabagas, turnips, parsnips, kale, bok choy, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli fights cancer. The compounds present in such vegetables help to flush out the cancer-causing substances and thus prevents the cell damage.
• Turmeric: Curcumin, the yellow pigment in Turmeric, act as an anti-inflammatory and suppresses any inflammation to avoid growth of the tumor. It cleans the carcinogens before they cause any damage to the cells. They even repair the harm caused.
• Chicken and Fish: Eat chicken and fish to fight cancer. One of the EPIC study results shows that consuming a minimum of 10 ounces or 300 gm of fish on a weekly basis reduces the colorectal cancer risk up to 30 percent. If you eat fish, then you will eat less meat. Also, choose fishes like mackerel or salmon rich in omega-3 fatty acids. The omega-3 fats help to lower inflammation in the gut.
• Onions and Garlic: The sulfides present in onions and garlic help to clean the carcinogens. They force the cancer cells to destruct themselves. In one study conducted in the Lowa Women’s Health Study, it was proved that women who ate two cloves of garlic every week reduced the risk of Colorectal cancer to 32 percent. Also, another study conducted on people in South Australia proved that consuming onion reduces the risk of Colorectal cancer by 52 percent. Eat a few garlic cloves and onion on a regular basis to lower the possibility of Colorectal cancer.

What Are The Worst Foods For Colorectal cancer?

Foods to avoid while suffering from colorectal cancer are as follows:

• Don’t Eat Red Meat and Avoid any Processed Food: Red meat worsens colorectal cancer. Especially the processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer. A study report exhibits that an ounce of processed red meat consumed increases the colon risk to two times than the raw meat. Know the Processed meats include deli meats, sausage, bacon, and hot dogs.
• Avoid Sodium Nitrate Preserved Foods: Gradually, reduce the intake of red meat. First eliminate hot dogs, salami, and bacon. Also, processed lunchmeats that get preserved using sodium nitrite. Sodium Nitrite interferes with the stomach acid at the time of digestion and converts it to nitrosamine compound. Nitrosamine is a well-known carcinogen. Hence, taking both sodium nitrites and meats that are processed will increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Foods such as bacon, sausages, and salami should not be consumed.

What Are The Medicines For Colorectal cancer?

What Are The Tips To Manage Colorectal cancer?

• Follow a diet free of preservatives. Eat fresh and organic fruits and vegetables.
• Check your weight and consult a doctor when you notice a sudden weight loss.
• Also, report to the physician if you notice any stomach bloating and don’t ignore assuming it as a gas problem.
• Regular exercise and eating habits can lower risk of cancer.
• Get checked if you think you may get genetically influenced by colorectal cancer.
• Strictly avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.