Strategies That protect Against Colon Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 150,000 people are diagnosed with colon cancer each year. Experts also estimate that colon — or colorectal — cancer will cause more than 50,000 deaths next year, as the second most common cause of cancer death among men and women. Yet when detected early, colorectal cancer can be effectively treated — even cured.

"More than 90 percent of colon cancer cases occur in people age 50 and older. For this reason, it is typically recommended that individuals start to be screened for the disease at age 50. Even still, knowing the risk factors and the signs of colon cancer are important at any age as early detection improves one’s chances of survival. Likewise, the healthy habits you adopt today can have long-term benefits and may even reduce your risk of developing colon cancer," says Thomas R. Lake III, M.D., FACS, a board-certified colon and rectal surgeon on staff at Ocean Medical Center.

Six Lifelong Habits
Research shows that the following tactics can lower your risk for colon cancer:

1. Maintain a healthy weight. Excess pounds around the waist are especially risky.



2. Limit your intake of red meat, particularly fatty or processed varieties.



3. Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and other plant foods, such as whole-grain breads and cereals. Many of these foods contain substances that fight off cancer.



4. Take a multivitamin that contains folic acid. Longterm use may decrease colon cancer risk by 75 percent. Foods rich in folate, such as oranges and leafy green vegetables, also offer protection.



5. Exercise regularly — it can cut the risk of colon cancer in half.



6. Get adequate calcium from foods or a supplement. Consumption of about 700 to 800 milligrams of calcium a day reduced the risk of one type of colon cancer by 40 percent to 50 percent.

The Seventh Strategy: Screenings
Colon cancer may cause symptoms, including:

• blood in or on the stool
• recurrent stomach pain or cramping
• narrow, ribbonlike stools
• unexplained weight loss.

Typically, colon cancer does not produce any symptoms. That's why experts recommend regular screenings for people who have a high risk of the disease. These include:

• men and women age 50 and older
• people with a personal or family history of colon cancer or polyps, which are precancerous growths in the colon or rectum
• anyone with inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.

Talk to your doctor about when to begin screening and which screening tests to take. Screening tests include:

• fecal occult blood test
• flexible sigmoidoscopy
• colonoscopy
• double contrast barium enema.