Quick quiz: Your risk for developing colon cancer is out of your control. True or false?
If you’re like most people, you probably answered “true.” But you would be wrong. “Colon cancer is one of the most preventable and curable cancers,” says Dr. Mark Pochapin, professor and director of the division of gastroenterology at NYU Langone Medical Center.
According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, the choices we make about what we eat and how we move might prevent about half of the nearly 135,000 new cases of colon cancers each year. It’s important to point out that these statistics are based on observational studies and only show an association between lifestyle and cancer, not cause and effect. However, since colorectal cancers are the third most common type of cancer, any steps we can take to lower our risk are worth our attention.
[See: 8 Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Colon Cancer.]
Get Screened
Cancer screening looks for evidence of cancer in people who don’t have any symptoms. The idea is that if you catch a cancer early, before it spreads, you’re more likely to treat it successfully.
Screening for colon cancer doesn’t just look for cancer that has already developed. It can help prevent cancer. If your doctor finds polyps during a colonoscopy (one of several screening tests for colon cancer), he or she can remove them right away. Polyps are benign masses on the colon wall that have the potential to develop into cancer. “Even if you find early cancer, you can remove it [during colonoscopy screening]. It’s usually curable without any further treatment,” Pochapin says.
Talk to your doctor about which screening test is right for you and at what age you should begin screening.
Drink in Moderation
Heavy alcohol consumption — defined as three and a half drinks per day or more — is associated with a modest increased risk of CRC, according to the National Cancer Institute. Strive to drink in moderation.
[See: 10 Seemingly Innocent Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore.]
Eat Right
Pochapin says there’s no question that a healthy diet and exercise are important for overall health. However, much of the scientific data about the association between diet and cancer is inconclusive. Some studies show a preventative or causative effect; others do not.
That said, doctors generally agree that we should avoid processed or cured meats (such as hot dogs), limit our consumption of red meat (the AICR recommends less than 18 ounces of cooked meat per week) and eat liberal amounts of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These plant-based foods are loaded with antioxidants (substances that help prevent damage to cells), which may play a role in cancer prevention.
Move
According to the National Cancer Institute, the association between exercise and colon cancer has been widely documented, and multiple studies find that people who are the most physically active have lower risks of colon cancer than those who are the least physically active. Exercise also seems to lower your risk for a type of polyp that is more likely to develop into cancer. So, find physical activities you enjoy, and do them regularly.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
The most important component of diet and exercise in colon cancer prevention may be in helping you maintain a healthy weight. According to Dr. Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, there is overwhelming evidence that obesity is a major cause of cancer. In a 2012 talk at the National Cancer Institute, Willett said: “On a population level, the number of cases of cancer attributable to people being overweight and obese is about equal to the number attributable to current smoking.” And in February 2017, an umbrella review of studies that looked at the association between obesity and cancer found strong evidence that excess body weight increases the incidence of most digestive system cancers. Rising obesity rates may also explain the alarming rise in CRC incidence in younger people.
[See: Creative Ways Hospitals Reach Diverse Populations.]
Don’t Smoke
Although we tend to think of smoking in terms of lung cancer, smoking is also an established risk factor for CRC (and many other cancers). It’s simple: Don’t start smoking, and if you already smoke, quit.
Should You Take Aspirin for CRC Prevention?
You may have heard about low doses of aspirin for CRC prevention. The value of low-dose aspirin therapy depends upon your age and risk factors. There’s good evidence that aspirin reduces risk in people who have lots of polyps, says Dr. Hanna Sanoff, an oncologist and professor at UNC Health Care. She says doctors are not entirely sure how it works, but the aspirin seems to slow the progress of polyps into something cancerous. However, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the benefits of taking aspirin for the primary prevention of CRC only outweighs the harms for people who are also at risk for cardiovascular disease. Pochapin says although aspirin does seem to lower risks, doctors do not prescribe it for cancer prevention.
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What Can You Do to Prevent Colon Cancer? originally appeared on usnews.com
