A tumour is developed when specific cells in the body begin to divide without any order or control. Colorectal cancer primarily develops in polyps in the wall of the colon. These polyps further grow and then undergo genetic changes till they turn into cancer. This process could take more than 10 years.

Risks

As per reports, colon cancer is the second-most common cancer in the UAE. It is more common among people above the age of 50 years and the risk of generating cancer rises with age.

· Risk for colorectal cancer is higher among people if they have:

· Polyps are growing inside the colon and rectum

· Personal or family history of polyps or colorectal cancer

· Personal history of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease

· Consumption of a high-fat, low-fibre diet

· Lack of physical activity

· Increased consumption of cigarettes and alcohol

Symptoms

In general, people with benign colonic polyps or early-stage colorectal cancer will not show any symptoms. Major symptoms such as blood in stool and changes in bowel movement generally occur at a later stage.

Preventing colorectal cancer

According to experts, many colorectal cancers are preventable through early detection of polyps and healthy lifestyle changes. It is important for people to ensure regular screenings for polyps at the age of 45.

Other preventive measures include:

· Eating a low-fat diet (especially reduce animal fat) and high in fibre

· Regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight

· Quit smoking

· Limiting alcohol consumption

Screening

In the case of colonic cancer, people must check for polyps or cancer. Furthermore, persons with symptoms like blood in stool or changes in bowel habits must conduct a diagnostic examination such as a colonoscopy.

It is important to note that, unlike other cancers, the scope of opportunity for finding the precancerous is long. It is easy to examine healthy persons, find and remove the precancerous polyps as well as to detect cancer in an early, curable stage.

After conducting required screening in the recommended intervals, the risk of colonic cancer can be reduced by more than 60 percent.

How is screening done?

Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy is the major colorectal cancer screening test that helps in detecting polyps. Finding and removing these polyps can prevent the development of colorectal cancers in nearly all cases. However, if cancer is already present, colonoscopy can help in finding it at an early stage for successful treatment.

Gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons at King’s College Hospital London have been performing state-of-the-art colonoscopies in accordance with international guidelines and the strictest quality control measures on a daily basis.

If a screening colonoscopy generates normal results and there are no risk factors involved, the next colonoscopy is recommended after 10 years.

To conduct a colonoscopy, the colon needs to be flushed with a laxative the day before the procedure which takes about 20 minutes in total.

A majority of persons use sedation for the procedure which is administered by an anaesthetist. During this process, the colonoscope, which is a flexible tube with a camera, is inserted and navigated through the colon.

Experts note that there is no pain or discomfort after the procedure and the results are immediately explained by the performing physician.

FIT test

Growing polyps or colorectal tumours sometimes bleed into the intestine. Benign conditions like haemorrhoids can also cause blood in the stool which may not be visible. Therefore, a FIT test is conducted to detect trace amounts of blood in the stool.

A stool sample, collected at home, is required for the test to detect blood of any source. The test kits are simple and easy to use at home with all instructions listed. FIT tests are economic, very easy to use and recommended once a year.

In case a FIT test is positive, a colonoscopy needs to be performed to find the source of the blood.

With a wide availability, FIT tests can be requested from family physician or can be purchased with instructions.

Flexible sigmoidoscopy

A sigmoidoscopy is a partial colonoscopy in which the cleaning of the last part of the colon can be done immediately prior to the procedure. It is bearable without the need for sedation. It is recommended every 3 years in conjunction with the FIT test.

The procedure takes 5-10 minutes in which the person being examined lies on their side. Later, the physician inserts and guides the sigmoidoscope into the rectum and lower colon to examine the lining for polyps or signs of cancer.

Diagnosis

In case a screening test shows the presence of polyps or other abnormal areas, a tissue sample is taken. Done during colonoscopy, it is a safe and pain-free procedure. If there is a polyp, the whole polyp will be removed.

SOURCE: Gulf News

LINK: https://gulfnews.com/uae/health/why-should-we-screen-for-colorectal-cancers-1.1646047060255