No.1 Internal Cancer
Colorectal or Bowel cancer is the most common of all internal cancers, where 1 in 12 people will be affected by the disease at some time in their life. With early detection of the abnormal cells that grow on the lining of the large intestine 90% of cases can be treated successfully.
Risk factors include
- Family history of colorectal cancer
- History of breast or ovarian cancer
- Age risk increases with age.
Screening should occur from the age of 50, unless there is a history of parents suffering the disease prior to the age of 45 then screening should occur in the late 30’s.
Screening is looking for evidence of polyps, which are another risk factor for the disease. Polyps grow on the lining of the large intestine and rectum, they are cherry like in shape and measure 1cm in size. Approximately 5% of the growths have cancer potential and therefore it is advised that all detections be removed by the procedure called a colonoscopy.
Colorectal cancer has the reputation of being a stealthy disease due to the length of time it takes for the potential of cancer to develop from a polyp without symptoms.
The large intestine is part of the digestive system; it is 1.5m in length, with the colon being the largest portion. Food is not broken down here, but water, vitamins and minerals are absorbed, as well as the waste matter being stored for elimination.
Looking at the topic of Poo or eliminated waste from the body, it is important to know what is normal so that any changes that may occur are easily detectable. Poo should be cigar like in shape, 30cm in length and not too smelly. The health of our colon relies on the quality of our poo which is dependent on the quality of the food we eat.
Lifestyle factors that impact our health are controlled by what we choose to do; therefore ensuring that our diet is high in quality vegetables and fruit, low in fatty food and highly processed foods, that we make time for daily exercise and have the correct amount of pure water is vitally important for our overall health.
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