Six Ways to Prevent Colon Cancer
Colon cancer, also called colorectal cancer, is a disease in which abnormal cells in the colon or rectum divide uncontrollably, eventually forming a malignant tumor. Colon cancer is the third most common type of non-skin cancer in both men (after prostate cancer and lung cancer) and women (after breast cancer and lung cancer). It’s the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States after lung cancer. The good news, however, is that colon cancer can be prevented.
Research has shown that there are six important things you can do to prevent colon cancer.
1. Get Screened
The rates of new colon cancer cases and deaths for adults aged 50 years or older are decreasing in this country due to screening beginning at age 50. Regular screening beginning at age 50 is the key to preventing colon cancer, and research has shown that up to 75% of all cases of colon cancer can be avoided with regular screening. People should begin screening for colorectal cancer soon after turning 50, and then continue getting screened at regular intervals. Earlier testing may be needed if you have a close relative who had colon polyps or cancer, or if you have an inflammatory bowel disease, or if you are African American (begin at age 45). The American Cancer Society currently advises that screening start at age 45 for all patients. This may become the new normal in the near future.
2. Maintain a Healthy Weight and Eat Fiber-Rich Foods
The colon serves as the final stage in the digestive system, and therefore eating healthy foods is crucial to keeping your colon healthy and working well. The job of the large intestine, or colon, is to absorb any remaining fluid and electrolytes from nutrients that the small intestine could not absorb. It then works to rid the body of waste, or stool. Recent studies of the colon show that high fiber foods are good for the digestive tract. This is because they are rich not only in fiber but also in pigment molecules, which are the chemicals that give fruit and vegetables their natural color. These chemicals work to protect against some of the processes that can cause cancer. Fiber supplements like Citrucel ™ and Metamucil ™ do not help protect against cancer.
3. High-Intensity Exercise (HIIT)
Population studies strongly suggest that colon cancer risk is reduced in those who are physically active. Participation in High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) specifically may reduce the chances of developing colon cancer. This is because an early sign of the increased risk of colon cancer is enlarged crypt lesions in the colon. The preventive measure by which HIIT may reduce the formation of these crypt lesions relates to the fact that exercise training induces an increase in a protein called SPARC. When exercising in a short, high-intensity capacity, the muscles secrete SPARC which, then, may kill colon pre-cancer cells. The research protocols researchers used to pursue this SPARC mechanism included both detailed animal and human exercise experiments. The results revealed that the number of pre-cancer cells was reduced by more than half after HIIT! Participation in activities such as HIIT, basketball, soccer or other vigorous activities may reduce colon cancer risk.
3. Don’t Smoke
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. When you smoke, your risk for many cancers increases, including colon cancer. Inhaling the chemicals and toxins in cigarettes can lead to the mutation of healthy cells. The toxins can cause precancerous polyps to develop in the large intestine, which can then turn to cancer. Smokers not only have a higher risk of developing colon cancer, but they also have an increased risk of cancer returning. There is enough evidence to support that smoking puts a person at an equal risk of developing colon cancer as having a first-degree relative with colon cancer.
4. Drink Only Moderately, If at All
As with smoking cigarettes, alcohol can also lead to increased development of polyps in the colon which can start benign but potentially turn into colorectal cancer. This is because when alcohol is metabolized by the body, it breaks down into a chemical called acetaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen. As with cigarettes, this chemical could damage DNA and healthy cells.
5. Take a Baby Aspirin Every Day
In the United States, tens of millions of adults take aspirin to reduce their risk of heart attack or stroke. But studies over the last two decades have suggested that regular use of aspirin may have another important benefit: decreasing the risk of developing or dying from some types of cancer. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) estimate that regular aspirin use could prevent nearly 11% of colorectal cancers diagnosed in the United States each year. While the chief concern with aspirin is gastrointestinal bleeding, available data from clinical trials on longer-term aspirin use suggest that this risk may be modest, at best. So unless you have an increased bleeding risk due to other health conditions or the use of other medications, consider taking one low dose aspirin a day.
6. Get Enough Calcium and Vitamin D
The digestive system needs certain vitamins to function normally. These are called “essential” vitamins. Many vitamins come directly into our body by following a balanced diet, which others may need to be taken as a supplement. Calcium can protect high-risk people from developing polyps that could lead to colon cancer. Vitamin D is associated with a reduced risk for colon cancer as it helps the body absorb calcium and plays a key role in how our nerves, muscles and immune system function. Eating a healthy and balanced diet which includes calcium and Vitamins B, C and D can greatly reduce the risk of developing polyps which could turn cancerous in the colon.
Talk with your primary care provider about when you should begin screening with one of our board-certified physicians. For your convenience, we have Saturday morning colonoscopy hours from 7 am- 1 pm at our Boston Endoscopy Center location. All cases are performed by an anesthesia professional with propofol sedation to maximize patient safety and comfort. Please request an appointment at one of our locations.