What Affects Your Risk of Colorectal Cancer?

The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 10 percent of all new incidences of cancer in 2010 were of colon and rectal cancer. That’s enough to rank third in all new diagnoses per year. Knowing what contributes to the development of colorectal cancer can go a long way toward understanding how to effectively reduce your chances of contracting the disease.

Listed below are many of the factors which can affect your level of risk:

• Age (the risk increases from the age of 40 and beyond)
• Obesity
• Lack of exercise
• Smoking
• Alcohol consumption
• Having one of the many hereditary diseases affecting the colon in some way
• A personal history of colon polyps, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or endometrial cancer
• A family history of colon or rectal cancer

Some of the risks for colorectal cancer are genetic in nature, or familial, which means there is little that can be done to reduce the potential risk. In these cases, such as with the hereditary diseases involving the digestive tract, colon, and rectum, it is recommended that family members talk with one another to help understand whether any of the conditions are a relevant problem.
 
Some risk factors are modifiable, however, which means they can be avoided or managed in a way which effectively reduces the risk of developing colorectal cancer. For tobacco users, quitting smoking is essential; not only will it help reduce risk of colorectal cancer, but it will help reduce risk of lung cancer and other complications associated with smoking. For people who are overweight, a healthy, balanced diet combined with regular exercise can go a long way to reducing the risk of developing colorectal cancer. In addition to a balanced diet, reducing the amount of alcohol one consumes can help reduce risk as well.

Regular screenings can also be one of the most important ways you can effectively reduce your risk of colorectal cancer. If the tests discover benign polyps in the colon, they can be treated before they have a chance to develop into malignancies.
 
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer in Georgia and feel it was discovered late, please request a copy of our free book, I Have Cancer...Should It Have Been Caught Earlier?, or contact an experienced Atlanta medical malpractice and colorectal cancer lawyer at the Dover Law Firm at 770-518-1133 to arrange a free consultation.