What are the risk factors for cancer of the colon?

A member of my family was diagnosed of cancer of the colon recently and he is already losing weight rapidly. Kindly share with your teeming readers risk factors, symptoms and treatment options.

Solomon V.

Thanks Solomon for your question and wishing your relative full recovery from this problem. Cancer of the colon can present in many ways. When any one experiences any of the symptoms below, he or she should seek for care on time.

• Bleeding from the rectum or blood mixed with stool which may be associated with fatigue and pale skin.

• If the tumour (abnormal swelling) gets large enough, it may completely or partially block the colon. What are the risk factors? • Older age. The great majority of people diagnosed with colon cancer are older than 50. Colon cancer can occur in younger people, but it occurs much less frequently.

• A personal history of colorectal cancer or polyps. If you’ve already had colon cancer or adenomatous polyps, you have a greater risk of colon cancer in the future.

• Inflammatory intestinal conditions. Chronic inflammatory diseases of the colon, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease can increase your risk of colon cancer.

• Family history of colon cancer. You’re more likely to develop colon cancer if you have a parent, sibling or child with the disease. If more than one family member has colon cancer or rectal cancer, your risk is even greater.

• Low-fiber, high-fat diet. Colon cancer and rectal cancer may be associated with a diet low in fiber and high in fat and calories. Research in this area has had mixed results. Some studies have found an increased risk of colon cancer in people who eat diets high in red meat and processed meat.

• A sedentary lifestyle. If you are inactive, you are more likely to develop colon cancer. Getting regular physical activity may reduce your risk of colon cancer.

• Diabetes. People with diabetes and insulin resistance may have an increased risk of colon cancer.

• Obesity. People who are obese have an increased risk of colon cancer and an increased risk of dying of colon cancer when compared with people considered normal weight.

• Smoking. People who smoke may have an increased risk of colon cancer.

• Alcohol. Heavy use of alcohol may increase your risk of colon cancer.

• Radiation therapy for cancer. Radiation therapy directed at the abdomen to treat previous cancers may increase the risk of colon cancer.

Examples of symptoms?

• A change in your bowel habits, including diarrhoea or constipation or a change in the consistency of your stool, that lasts longer than four weeks

• Rectal bleeding or blood in your stool

• Persistent abdominal discomfort, such as cramps, gas or pain

• A feeling that your bowel doesn’t empty completely • Weakness or fatigue • Unexplained weight loss • Many people with colon cancer experience no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. When symptoms appear, they’ll likely vary, depending on the cancer’s size and location in your large intestine.

What are the causes of cancer of the colon?

1. In most cases, it’s not clear what causes colon cancer.

2. Healthy cells grow and divide in an orderly way to keep your body functioning normally. But when a cell is damaged and becomes cancerous, cells continue to divide even when new cells aren’t needed. As the cells accumulate, they form a tumour.

3. With time, the cancer cells can grow to invade and destroy normal tissue nearby. And cancerous cells can travel to other parts of the body.

4. Inherited gene mutations that increase the risk of colon cancer can be passed through families, but these inherited genes are linked to only a small percentage of colon cancers. Inherited gene mutations don’t make cancer inevitable, but they can increase an individual’s risk of cancer significantly.

Examples of treatment options?

1. The primary treatment of colon cancer is to surgically remove part or the entire colon.

2. Drugs after surgery can prolong survival for people whose cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes.

3. Radiation before surgery, may reduce tumour size. This can improve the chances that the tumour will be removed successfully.

The best prevention is to detect colon cancer and treat it early in its formation.

Psychologists have advised members of the public to pay more attention to their mental health to protect themselves from the challenges and to reduce the increasing cases of the disorders in the country.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines mental health as a state of wellbeing in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.

Mental health is a critical component of health and that is why health is referred to as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, according to WHO.

The psychologists said certain habits and the social stigma attached with seeking help or speaking to a mental health professional have predisposed and worsened mental health conditions in the country.

The chairman of the Nigerian Psychological Association, Federal Capital Territory Chapter, Dr Emmanuel Alhassan, in a statement to mark this year’s World Mental Health Day, which comes up tomorrow, October 10th said if mental health issues are tackled as soon as they occur, they may not degenerate to mental illnesses.

“A common problem with the mental health system is the social stigma attached to seeking help or speaking to a mental health professional. If mental health issues are tackled as soon as they occur, they may not degenerate to mental illnesses,” he said.

He said most Nigerians often comment that “they are not mad” when asked to attempt behavioral assessments with mental health experts.

He said some areas people should pay attention to include the need to live within their means.

Dr Emmanuel Alhassan said some people enroll their children in schools which they cannot afford the school fees and it becomes a burden for them; some stay on in abusive relationships instead of staying away for some time until it is resolved, or borrow money they can’t pay thus putting themselves under stress. “Most of these issues come from inability to manage stress. People should learn to seek professional help rather than bottling it. So they don’t slide into mental health challenges,” he said

Comprehensive behavioral assessments help psychologists to identify mental health disorders or some imbalance such as: sleep disorders, work life integration, burnout, and anxiety. These assessments help them provide recommendations that prevent mental illnesses, Dr Emmanuel Alhassan said.

The psychologist said almost all human beings have the potential to develop mental health problems at one point or the other, “no matter how old, whether male or female, rich or poor, or the ethnic group they belong to.”

He said some mental health disorders include anxiety disorder such as panic disorder, phobias obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Others include mood disorders such as depression, Bipolar disorder and Persistent Depressive Disorder.

Mental health researchers and practitioners have also found other mental health issues like substance use disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children, he added.

While saying that it is not possible to reliably tell whether someone is developing a mental health problem, certain signs such as the ones below appear in a short space of time, may offer clues:

• Withdrawing from people activities they would normally enjoy.

• Sleeping or eating too much or too little.

• Feeling as if nothing matters. or • Consistently low energy. • Using drugs more than normal (including alcohol and nicotine).

• Displaying uncharacteristic emotions. • Confusion. • Not being able to complete standard tasks, such as getting to work or cooking a meal.

• Persistent thoughts memories that reappear regularly.

• Thinking of harming one’s self or others. • Hearing voices. • Delusions. Dr Alhassan who is also a senior lecturer at the Department of Psychology, Nasarawa State University, said World Mental Health Day (October 10) is celebrated as a day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma, adding that the history of World Mental Health Day can be traced as far back as 1992 as an initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) with the aim of educating the public on relevant mental health issues. In some countries, the day is celebrated as part of a mental health week.

According to Dr Alhassan, the Nigerian Psychological Association (NPA) participates actively in the celebration of the World Mental Health Day annually.

“Psychologists use their skills and expertise to provide psychotherapy and behavioral modifications to individuals who seek help.” or