Colon cancer is a serious problem for many Americans. The rates are spiking like never before.
Much of reason for the spike in rates of colon cancer has to do with unhealthy diets. Unfortunately, in the early stages of colon cancer, when the concern is most easily treated, symptoms are undiagnosable. For that reason, it is important to get routine checkups even if you don’t have any symptoms. Regular checkups should start around the age of 50 or earlier.
Below is a list of important things that people should know about colon cancer, provided by colon cancer treatment Los Angeles.
– In males, it is the 3rd most common type of cancer. In females it is the 4th most common type of cancer.
– There are several red flags for things that could put people at risk for cancer, including a family history of colon cancer, the presence of polyps in the colon, and chronic inflammation of ulcers in the large intestine.
– Colon cancer can be spotted using barium enema, which is an x-ray viewing of the colon. It can also be spotted using a colonoscopy, which uses a long, pliable tube and a camera attached. Once cancer tissue is spotted, it can be sent to a lab to get confirmed.
There are several ways in which one can lower their chances of developing colon cancer.
– Don’t smoke – Smoking is typically associated with lung cancer, however, smoking can greatly impact rates of colon cancer also, so don’t smoke.
– Maintain a healthy weight – High body weight is associated with many health risks like heart disease, strokes, diabetes and more. It is also very closely related to colon cancer.
– Don’t eat too much red meat – Studies have that shown that excessive consumption of red meat is directly related to colon cancer. Red meat is harder to digest than chicken or fish, and thus sits in your colon longer where it festers and causes colon cancer.