Recently Mr. Bal had a terrifying and stressful experience! He was suffering from abdominal pain and discomfort. He ignored it at first, then one day, he thought he saw some blood on the stools. That alarmed him. A visit to the doctor and a few tests later, it was confirmed that Mr. Bal had Colon Cancer.? 

What is Colon Cancer? 

Colon cancer is a common type, although people are secretive and mostly do not like to speak of it. Colon cancer usually affects older adults, but anyone can get it. It starts in the colon or the large intestine, a part of the digestive system. 

Small, flat, or slightly plump knob-like growths on the lining of the large intestine, also known as ‘benign polyps’ are the starting points of this cancer. Sometimes these polyps produce symptoms like abdominal pain and bleeding in the stools, but a majority of the time there are no symptoms at all. One should visit the doctor in case of any symptoms. 

• Some Symptoms 
• Sudden weight loss 
• Unexplained stomach discomfort or pain 
• Blood in stool 
• Fatigue 
• Bloating 
• Diarrhoea 
• Constipation 
• Change in the bowel movement 

It is a good idea to have a regular preventive health check-up for any anomalies. That helps in getting the essential treatment sooner. It also helps in delaying the onset of diseases. Do visit the doctor and get the tests done, if you find some of the above-mentioned symptoms worrisome. 

The causes and risk factors for Colon Cancer 

The causes are not known for sure. Doctors are still studying the patterns, but below are the few risk factors that could be the causes of Colon Cancer. 

• Family history 
• Old age 
• A sedentary lifestyle 
• Overconsumption of fats and carbs and fewer fibers 
• Inflammatory intestinal conditions 
• Diabetes 
• Obesity 
• The habit of smoking and drinking 

Some guidelines recommend preventive health check-ups once you turn 40 and some cancer screening tests when you turn 50 years of age. 

Diagnosis and Treatment 

If you feel that you fall into a high-risk group of people, it is essential to talk to your doctor. The doctor would recommend some tests and screening methods per your health condition and history. The best chance of any cure to any cancer is always early detection. So, a regular health screening helps in early detection. Some of the screening methods may include 

• Blood tests 
• Colonoscopy 

Depending on the size of the Cancer, the doctor can suggest various treatments to give the best results. 

Small Cancer, may require minimally invasive surgery. Cancer in the advanced stage may require complete surgery. Given below are a few treatment options. 

• Polypectomy 
• Laparoscopic surgery 
• Lymph node removal 
• Partial colectomy 
• Chemotherapy 
• Radiation therapy 
• Targeted drug therapy 
• Palliative care 

Coping with this can be emotionally challenging. It is good to join support groups and have friends and family talk about it. Awareness, along with a positive outlook, helps to deal with cancer. 

Prevention: 

The key to good health is good food and exercise! 

One cannot stress enough the importance of making small, corrective changes in the diet and lifestyle to reduce cancer risk. Some of the easy things you can do are, 

• Eat whole grains 
• The diet should have fresh fruits and green vegetables 
• Do moderate exercise 
• Reduce alcohol consumption 
• Quit smoking 
• Maintain a healthy weight 

Taking the correct steps to reduce the chances of cancer is very important.? 

The first step is to get, a preventive health check-up every six months. Regular health checkup is crucial. A preventive health check-up is a good idea to get the health assessed and take preventive action well in time! 

Indus Health Plus offers some essential preventive health packages. Call us today to get a complete health screening done. It’s time you took the step and made health a top priority. 

Remember,?‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’*