Colon Cancer Prevention

Colon Cancer is among the most dangerous and widespread forms of cancer. However, it is also among the most preventable ones. Although the symptoms of cancer are easily detected it should be noted that Colon Cancer can continue to develop without manifesting itself. Therefore it is essential for people to use precautionary means to prevent Colon cancer from developing in the first place.

The most common ways of prevention are :

Symptoms : People should consult a doctor at the first sign of any symptom. Constipation, thinning of the stool, blood in stool, unexplained weight loss and nausea and vomiting are all indicators of Colon Cancer.
Screening : More than 90% of Colon Cancer patients are above the age of 50 while the average age of diagnosis is 64. It is essential for people to start medical screening after the age of 40 so as to prevent any incidence of colon cancer.
Diet : Diets high in cholesterol and fat, such as red meat and processed meat, have been shown to increase the risk of colon cancer. Eating a balanced is another important method of prevention.
Balanced weight : Studies have indicated that obese men tend to be more at risk of Colon cancer. Therefore maintaining a healthy weight is important.
Exercise : Increased physical activity has shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer by as much as 40 %.
Genetic Counseling : Colon cancer has been shown to affect certain ethnicities more than others so knowledge of one’s genes would be an effective mean of prevention as well.
Family medical history : Risk of colon cancer increases if a person has family history of this disease. It doubles if the person has direct family members suffering from Colon cancer.
Smoking : Smoking results in intake of carcinogens which can result in Colon Cancer. Tobacco has also been linked with increasing polyp size. Stopping from smoking is one of the most effective means of prevention.
Reduce radiation exposure : The sun emits many forms of radiation which may cause colon cancer. However, there remain other sources of radiation as well, including x rays and rocks. It is essential to keep away from such sources.
These methods of prevention do not rule out the possibility of colon cancer altogether but reduce the probability significantly.