Cancer diagnosis is an extremely worrying, frightening and disappointing situation for the patient. In fact, if the cancer cannot be diagnosed at an early stage, it is not difficult to foresee a difficult process for both the patient and their relatives and the doctor. For this reason, making cancer a treatable or preventable disease with early diagnosis has become a national health policy in our country as well as all over the world. In this context, with the aim of raising awareness and awareness about cancer in the society with various activities and information meetings between April 1-7, it is known as the week of fighting cancer with the slogan “Early diagnosis saves lives”.
Colon Cancer is a Preventable Disease:
When we look at the formation of cancer in general, it is seen that 90% environmental and 10% genetic factors are responsible. Environmental factors include smoking, alcohol, obesity, consumption of packaged or frozen foods with various additives, radiation, contact with toxic wastes, consumption of contaminated food or breathing air, and infections. It is not in our hands to change our genetics, but it is possible to prevent many cancers by reducing the environmental factors listed above, personally and administratively at the societal level. For example, quitting smoking, which contains nearly fifty toxic substances, including tar, and is the cause of many digestive system organ cancers, especially lung cancer, and preventing obesity or obesity by learning a healthy diet are the simplest measures to be taken personally. Colon cancer is a type of cancer in which environmental factors and genetics contribute significantly. 95% of colon cancers develop from polyps in the large intestine. Polyps are formations that develop as a result of abnormal growth of the layer (mucosa) that covers the surface of the large intestine and grow into the intestinal tract. It is possible to diagnose it by seeing the inside of the large intestine with a lighted elastic instrument called a colonoscopy, and to treat it by cutting the polyp from the place where it adheres to the wall of the large intestine during the same procedure (this procedure is called polypectomy). The removed polyps should be examined by pathology. Pathologically examined polyps can be either adenomatous polyps that are precancerous or inflammatory polyps called hyperplastic. Polyps that are precursors of colon cancer are adenomatous polyps. Removing them by polypectomy is the most effective method of preventing cancer. It is the first and most important step in preventing colon cancer for people with a familial (first degree relative such as mother, father, sibling) history of colon polyp or cancer to consult a doctor and have the necessary screening tests done.
In people without familial risk factors, the incidence of colon cancer or polyps increases with age, and the risk doubles every ten years after the age of forty. For this reason, the “fecal occult blood test” to be performed once a year for the early diagnosis of colon polyp or cancer in the whole population of men and women over the age of 50 is the simplest screening method. This test is carried out by the Cancer Early Diagnosis, Screening and Education Centers (KETEM) across the country for cancer screenings of the Ministry of Health. A negative test does not show 100% that there is no cancer or polyp, but a positive test is important in terms of showing the patient to undergo a colonoscopy.
Since colon polyps and cancers are more common on the left side of the large intestine, examining the left side of the large intestine with a shorter lighted instrument called “flexible sigmodioscopy” is another screening method.
In people over 50 years of age without a familial colon polyp or cancer history, stool occult blood test to be performed once a year, flexible sigmoidoscopy to be performed every 5 years or colonoscopy to be performed every 10 years are the most effective methods in preventing colon cancer.
Early Detection Saves Lives;
Discovering the warnings of cancer types early, investigating the findings and referral of patients for further examination increases the chance of early diagnosis. Therefore, with early diagnosis programs in cancer; The awareness of the society, health workers and administrators about the knowledge and early diagnosis possibilities should be increased. Individuals need to be informed about their own bodies and to notice an unusual change. Since early diagnosis in cancer is the first and most important step in the success of the treatment, both healthcare professionals and individuals should be informed about the value of early diagnosis in cancer.
Unfortunately, there is no very early clue for early diagnosis of colon cancer. Since the right side of the large intestine is wider and the stool is more runny and watery in this part, the tumor in this part of the cancer will take a long time to grow and block the intestine, and in patients diagnosed with intestinal obstruction, the tumor is usually at an advanced stage, it has metastasized to surrounding organs or other organs such as the liver. . However, in the early period, the detection of occult blood in the stool with ulceration and bleeding on the polyp or cancer, iron deficiency anemia or low blood ferritin level indicating decreased iron storage are important findings for early diagnosis. In the rectum, which is the left part of the large intestine or the part close to the anus, red blood comes from the anus, red blood smeared in the form of a line on the stool, stool in the form of diarrhea or constipation in this region because the stool loses water and becomes harder and the intestine is narrower in this region. Symptoms such as disruption of the bowel pattern, thinning of the stool diameter, or the absence of the feeling of complete ejaculation are seen earlier and may be symptoms that will lead to an earlier diagnosis of cancer.
When iron deficiency anemia, low ferritin or stool occult blood positivity is detected after the age of forty or after menopause in women, or in those with a familial history of colon polyp or cancer, colonoscopy is performed to detect colon polyp and or cancer early; Removing the polyp by polypectomy is the most effective method in preventing cancer.
