Mortality from colorectal cancer grows by 20% in Latin America

A mortality from colorectal cancer increased by 20.5% in Latin America between 1990 and 2019, unlike the trend observed in high-income countries, which recorded a drop in the rate, shows a study by Fiocruz, Inca (National Cancer Institute) and the University of California, in the United States. The researchers' objective was to associate mortality with data from the HDI (Human Development Index).

“Colorectal cancer is one of the most sensitive to inequality”, says Raphael Guimarães, a researcher at Fiocruz and one of the leaders of the work. “The risk factors are well known, but we wanted to investigate the effect of context, not just lifestyle habits.”

This type of tumor is associated with eating habits, with a diet very rich in red meat and ultra-processed foods and low in fruits and vegetables, in addition to a sedentary lifestyle and obesity. But, according to data from the Oncoguia Institute, with the early diagnosis in a localized tumor, A patient's five-year survival rate can reach 90% .

The researchers identified three groups of countries in Latin America that reflect the region's inequality and a paradox: those with the lowest HDI indices, such as some in Central America, have the lowest mortality, while intermediate countries, such as Brazil, have the best HDI. , but higher mortality.

“This is explained because in less developed countries there is often a lack of records of the disease and, sometimes, it is not even diagnosed. Furthermore, the population still consumes less food associated with the disease, hence the lower incidence”, explains Guimarães.

On the other hand, the researcher assesses, countries like Brazil have a population more exposed to risk factors and are still unable to diagnose and treat in a timely manner . “That’s why Brazil has seen an increase in mortality,” she says.

Finally, the third group, nations with the highest HDI, offer more access to early diagnosis and treatment services, and the population also has more information about risk factors and access to healthier food. “This is the case of Uruguay, which, despite the high consumption of red meat, is heading towards a drop in mortality.”

Now the authors are carrying out a study analyzing regional differences in Brazil, and preliminary results suggest that mortality here also varies depending on the level of socioeconomic development.

Colorectal cancer is the second most common tumor, behind only breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. According to Inca, it is estimated that 46 thousand new cases will appear in the 2023-2025 period. Inca also recorded an increase in incidence in younger people, aged between 20 and 49, and in those between 50 and 69 in the period from 2000 to 2015.

That This type of cancer has been increasing worldwide since the 1950s , largely due to the aging of the population. “In addition, the change in lifestyle, such as migration from the countryside to the city, changed the eating pattern, reducing the consumption of fruits and vegetables and increasing the consumption of sausages, such as sausages, and foods with preservatives”, he says. oncologist Diogo Bugano, from Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein. “This also explains the increased incidence in younger people.”

Colonoscopy helps prevent tumor

The advantage of this tumor is that it is highly preventable, as it usually arises from polyps (lesions in the intestinal wall), which take five to ten years to turn into cancer.

It is currently recommended that everyone have a routine colonoscopy from the age of 45. This exam can detect and treat lesions in the same procedure before they turn into cancer. Depending on the result, it may be repeated every ten years. People with a family history of colorectal cancer should be screened ten years before the age at which their relative was diagnosed.

When detected early, this cancer has a very high chance of being cured. Symptoms such as bleeding, stomach pain and diarrhea should serve as a warning.