Over 50? Overweight? You're at risk of developing colon cancer!

by Leigh Andrews, 05 March 2013

Colon cancer, also referred to as colorectal cancer, is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in both men and women. More than 140,000 cases of colon cancer are expected to occur in 2013 and over 50,000 will die from the disease. But it can be prevented if detected early - so now's a great time to go for a screening, especially as March Is National Colorectal and Colon Cancer Awareness Month! Here's how you can prevent colon cancer by watching your weight.

While colon cancer preventable and treatable if diagnosed in its early stages, it’s a leading cause of death.

That’s because most people affected by it don’t realise the symptoms they’re dealing with are a sign of colon cancer or colorectal cancer until too late, says EndoNurse.

And colon cancer is seen as a silent killer because often there are no symptoms until it is too late to treat.

The easiest way to detect colon cancer early…

Age is the single largest risk factor for colon cancer, so even people who lead a healthy lifestyle can develop polyps and cancer – that’s why it’s recommended that you go for a colon cancer screening as soon as you reach 50 years of age!

If your colon cancer screening results are clear, you won’t need another exam for 10 years.

And as colorectal cancer is one of the consequences of inflammatory bowel diseases, you should tell your doctor right away if you’ve noticed an increase in symptoms like abdominal cramps accompanied by fever, says WebMD.

Take action now to minimise your risk of colon cancer!

But you don’t have to wait until you’re 50 for a colon cancer screening to tell if you’re at risk.

Because if you’re overweight, you’re more at risk of colon cancer.

That’s why the American Cancer Society says you can lower your risk of developing colorectal cancer by managing the risk factors that you can control, like diet and physical activity.

In particular, you can reduce your risk for colon cancer with a high-fibre diet, says FSP Health.

This means eating more nuts, beans and apple pulp.

So go for a colon cancer screening once you reach 50, control your weight, and you’ll be doing all you can to protect yourself from colon cancer.

Tags: cancer, colon cancer, colorectal cancer, weight

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