They are slow-growing tumors that as they develop, the possibility of becoming malignant increases. Once malignant, they invade the wall of the colon and spread to the rest of the body, becoming advanced carcinomas.

Colorectal cancer or colon cancer is the second most common cancer after breast and prostate cancer in the non-smoker population, and it is much more lethal than the first two.

In tobacco addicts, colorectal cancer is displaced to a decent third place since the sad first is lung cancer.

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Incidence

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It affects both sexes equally and its frequency is higher between 50 and 70 years of age.

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Risk factor's

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• A diet rich in fat and low in fiber, as well as some diseases such as non-specific chronic colitis. There is a genetic predisposition for colorectal cancer and colonic polyps.

• Most colorectal cancers originate from an asymptomatic benign tumor called a polyp that arises and grows in the colonic mucosa. They are slow-growing tumors that as they develop, the possibility of becoming malignant increases. Once malignant, they invade the wall of the colon and spread to the rest of the body, becoming advanced carcinomas.

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main symptoms

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• Unfortunately colonic polyps and early cancers do NOT cause symptoms, they are usually discovered when a colonoscopy or X-ray of the colon (colon enema) is done for some other reason.

• Advanced colon cancers, most of which are not curable, are manifested by a change in the habit of evacuation of recent installation such as constipation or diarrhea, blood in the stool, anemia, abdominal distension, lack of appetite, weight loss, depression. , easy crying, palpable mass in the abdomen, etc.

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Testing

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Colonoscopy is today the gold standard for the detection of polyps, small and advanced cancers of the colon. It has the advantage of being the only diagnostic method that allows the removal of polyps and the resection of early cancers without having to resort to surgery. It also allows taking biopsies for the histological diagnosis of advanced cancers and installing expandable prostheses to restore colonic transit in tumor obstructions.

Virtual colonoscopy recently emerged, a method that through computed tomography gives us a tour through the interior of the colon, without requiring sedation. If it requires colon cleansing preparation, which is really annoying about these studies, it does not detect polyps smaller than 1 cm. and it does not remove those detected, so the patient has to be sent for colonoscopy with a new cleaning preparation for resection.

There are other screening and early detection methods that are increasingly out of use due to their poor reliability and limitations. Not to mention them are: fecal occult blood test, rigid and flexible sigmoidoscopy and colon enema.

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Prevention

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The risk of developing colorectal cancer virtually disappears if colonic polyps are detected and removed promptly. The most reliable method so far is colonoscopy, since it can detect polyps as small as a few millimeters and check the entire colon. Another advantage is the possibility of removing the polyps in the same procedure.

In experienced hands, revision of the entire colon is feasible in almost everyone, and complications are extremely rare. The procedure is performed under sedation and does not cause discomfort.

It is recommended that the first colonoscopy be performed at age 50; depending on risk factors and study findings, every 5 to 10 years in low-risk patients and 1 to 3 years in moderate- or high-risk patients, including those found to have polyps. If there is a family history of colorectal cancer, surveillance with colonoscopy studies should begin ten years before the age at which the relative was diagnosed with cancer.