March is Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Awareness Month and we need to spread the word that the second leading cancer killer is preventable, but you have to get checked regularly. Yes, it’s a little embarrassing for all of us, but a few minutes of discomfort is far better than the alternative which could be a life sentence!
Getting people to smile about something as personal as their own rear end is not a bad thing. Colon Cancer Canada uses “We’re behind your behind” as its slogan and there are numerous websites devoted to jokes about getting a colonoscopy: “Let me know if you find my dignity” and “Could you write a note for my wife saying that my head is in fact not up there?” Jokes help get to the seriousness of the situation as some 22,000 Canadians will be diagnosed this year with colorectal cancer and more than 9,000 will die from it yet a stunning 90 per cent of this cancer is curable if caught early enough.
Colorectal Cancer Statistics in Canada
The risk of cancer increases with age; 42% of new cancer cases and 59% of cancer deaths will occur among those who are 70 years of age and older. However, cancer can occur at all ages. Across Canada, rates of cancer incidence vary because of variation in risk factors and early detection of cancer.. Lung, prostate, breast and colorectal cancer are the 4 most common cancer types in Canada and account for over 50% of all new cancer cases. 40% of Canadian women and 45% of men will develop cancer during their lifetimes. The odds are still in your favour, but you have to act too. Colorectal cancer usually grows slowly and in a predictable way. It is curable when diagnosed at an early stage.
Facts:
Colorectal cancer (cancer of the colon or rectum) develops in the large intestine in the digestive tract. The disease often begins as a benign (non-cancerous), abnormal growth or tumor in the lining of the colon; these growths, which are called intestinal polyps, colorectal polyps, or adenomas, can become precancerous and then cancerous.
- Risk factors for CRCr includes heredity, colon polyps, and long standing ulcerative colitis.
- Most CRC develops from polyps, memoval of colon polyps can prevent colorectal cancer.
- Colon polyps and early CRC can have no symptoms therefore regular screening is important.
- Diagnosis of CRC can be made by barium enema or by colonoscopy with biopsy confirmation of cancer tissue.
Reduce your risk – Prevention Colorectal cancer does not discriminate, and even the healthiest individual can develop the disease. However, there are several lifestyle factors which you can control to help prevent this ailment.
DIET: This is the most effective way to prevent CRC and promote your overall wellness. A few basic guidelines include:
-Fluids; drink plenty of water every day as this will help your colon digest foods properly and keep things moving in the right direction. Dehydration can lead to many health ailments so drink 6-8 glasses of fluid daily. Tea, Coffee and real Fruit drinks count so keep plenty on hand at home and at the office so you’re not tempted to buy cheap sodas when you’re thirsty.
-Fiber; found in all edible plants, fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, etc, Fiber is not digested in the body. Research suggests that fibre from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables can decrease colorectal cancer risk (Jacobs et al 2007). Fibre adds bulk to the stool as it absorbs water; a soft, bulky stool stimulates the walls of the colon to move feces through quickly and easily. Fibre absorbs carcinogens in the bowel, and combined with fast movement of stool, toxic substances come in less contact with the lining of the colon and rectum.
-include a variety of fruits & vegetables in your daily diet.
-limit red or processed meat as much as possible; there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a nice steak occasionally, but avoid eating red meat more than once a week and try to avoid processed meat altogether if you can. You can still have a Hotdog at the summer picnic, but buy the healthier brands that offer lower sodium, lower fat and contain real meat; a good choice would be Oscar Mayer Light Wieners, and Kosher Dogs are a great choice too.
-Trans Fats: Replace unhealthy trans fats (found in cakes, cookies, fried foods, margarine, donuts, pastries and chips and are usually solid at room temperature) and saturated fats (found in butter and red meat), with healthy unsaturated fats (found in fatty fish like salmon, avocados, olive oil, and nuts and are usually liquid at room temperature).
Recent studies performed at Harvard Medical School found that men and women who consumed high amounts of foods that increased blood sugar levels had a higher chance of getting colorectal cancer in the future, compared to those men and women who ate lesser amounts of such foods. (Liu et al 2008).
SUPPLEMENTS: several supplements have been shown to promote a healthy colon and reduce the incidence of CRC, these include:
-Selenium appears to affect cancer risk in two ways, as an anti-oxidant it helps protect the body from damaging effects of free radicals, and it may also prevent or slow tumor growth. Some studies have also suggested an association between lower antioxidant intake and a greater incidence of heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Selenium is found in plant foods, but the amount depends on the soil where the plants grow and varies widely between areas. Foods commonly containing selenium include Brazil Nuts, Cod, Tuna and Sunflower seeds.
-Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Harvey Murff, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor of Medicine, was published online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The VICC researchers believe that Omega-3 fats in fish may reduce inflammation in the body and help protect against the development of colon polyps. Polyps are small growths on the lining of the intestinal tract that may develop into cancer. Women who ate the equivalent of three servings of fish per week had about a 33 percent reduction in the risk for colon polyps. They also had a lower level of a hormone called prostaglandin E2 which is linked to inflammation. “That was the aspect of the study we were particularly excited about because prostaglandin E2 is known to be associated with adenomas or polyps in colorectal cancers” said Murff.
-Folic Acid (Foltae) occurs naturally in foods like green leafy vegetables, legumes, and citrus fruits, and is known to prevent CRC.
-Vitamin C & Vitamin D: Vitamin C plays an effective role in the treatment and prevention of cancer by increasing tumour-suppressing agents in the body. Vitamin D is essential for the formation, growth, and repair of bones and for normal calcium absorption and immune function. It is obtained primarily through exposure to sunlight, but it can also be obtained from some foods and dietary supplements. Studies suggest that higher intakes of vitamin D from food and/or supplements and higher levels of vitamin D in the blood are associated with reduced risks of colorectal cancer as well as breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancers.
-Calcium and vitamin D may work together to reduce colorectal cancer risk, as vitamin D aids in the body's absorption of calcium. Other studies suggest that increasing calcium intake may lower colorectal cancer risk but because of the possible increased risk of prostate cancer in men with high calcium intake, it is not recommend increasing calcium intake specifically to try to lower cancer risk.
-Lycopene is a red pigment found in tomatoes and similar red-colored produce. Most people are aware that lycopene is abundantly found in tomatoes, but it is also found abundantly in watermelon, guava, and pink grape fruit: basically any fruit or vegetable that has a reddish colour. Lycopene is a precursor to vitamin A in the body and has far reaching capabilities in cancer prevention and preventing degenerative diseases such as heart disease.
-Resveratrol is a naturally occurring compound that exhibits beneficial health effects, including anti-inflammatory, cardio-protective, and cancer-protective activities. It is recognized as one of the more promising natural molecules in the prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Current studies indicate that resveratrol is a useful, nontoxic complementary and alternative strategy to decrease colitis and colon cancer associated with colitis.
EXERCISE: need we say more? We all know that regular exercise is beneficial for our health, and this includes cancer prevention among many other things. The trick seems to be to find something that you will enjoy doing; there’s no sense setting unrealistic goals on Jan 1st only to be back to sitting on the couch by mid-February.
If you want to join a gym, join with friends so you’ll have encouragement to go and will be less likely to let your membership go to waste. Working with a Personal Trainer (PT) is a great way to get back into a sensible routine that suits your individual fitness level. The best PT on the North Shore.
If you’re not the gym type, then pick a sport you’ll enjoy. We are blessed living in BC to have lots of water sports and gorgeous mountains to enjoy. As we love to tell our friends from Toronto, we can golf in the morning, sail in the afternoon and ski at night so go enjoy the great outdoors. If nothing else, go walk on the Seawall.
DON’T SMOKE & LIMIT ALCOHOL INTAKE: we all know this so I won’t go into detail. There are many good Smoking Cessation Programs available today so discuss them with your family doctor if you want to quit for good.
Speak to your GP next visit or call 1-877-70-COLON (1-877-702-6566) today to discuss screening options in BC. Colorectal cancer screening saves lives. Colorectal cancer screening tests can find precancerous polyps so they can be removed before they turn into cancer. If everyone over 50 were screened regularly, as many as 60% of deaths from this cancer could be avoided.
The Vancouver Colorectal Cancer Support Group is held at the BC Cancer Agency-Vancouver Centre, John Jambor Room, Main Floor 600 West 10th Avenue. Meetings are held every third Wednesday of the month, between 6:30 and 8 pm. For more information, contact John Christopherson, Group Facilitator, at 604-877-6000 ext. 2190 or at: jchristo@bccancer.bc.ca
References:
There are so many assessments and treatment options available though both
of these healthcare professionals that I'm not even going to try to list them
here. I will tell you that my quality of
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