THE bowel cancer also called colorectal or from colon and rectum includes tumors that start in the large intestine (colon), in the rectum (end of the intestine) and in the anus.
The most common signs and symptoms are: presence of blood in the stool, pain and frequent abdominal cramps lasting more than 30 days, change in intestinal rhythm such as diarrhea or constipation, rapid and unintentional weight loss, in addition to anemia, fatigue and weakness.
Estimates from the National Cancer Institute (Inca) indicate that Brazil should register 44,000 new cases of the disease per year in the next three years, between 2023 and 2025, with 70% concentrated in the Southeast and South regions. Of these cases, 23,660 are expected to be diagnosed among women and 21,970 among men.
According to the most recent data from the Atlas of Cancer Mortality, from Inca, in 2020, 20,245 deaths from bowel cancer were recorded in Brazil, with 9,889 men and 10,356 women.
Recent cases of bowel cancer among celebrities, such as singers Preta Gil and Simony, King Pelé, Vasco idol Roberto Dinamite have increased searches about the disease on the internet.
power factor
The development of bowel cancer is strongly impacted by diet. Diets poor in fiber and excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods (see below ) contribute to the development of the disease.
According to Inca, the main factors related to a higher risk of developing bowel cancer are: age equal to or above 50 years, excess body weight and unhealthy diet.
That is: low consumption of fresh and minimally processed foods, such as fruits and vegetables; high consumption of ultra-processed foods, processed meats (sausage, mortadella, sausage, ham, bacon, turkey blanquet, turkey breast and salami) and excessive intake of red meat (above 500 grams of cooked meat per week) also increase the risk for this type of cancer.
“The main villain is the group of ultra-processed foods. These foods predispose to overweight and obesity, being directly associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer,” explains endoscopist Crislei Casamali.
In addition to the high caloric index that promotes weight gain, processed meats are subjected to some techniques to enhance their flavor or improve preservation, which can also favor the appearance of cancer.
Substances present in the smoke from the smoking process and preservatives (such as nitrites and nitrates) also added during processing, along with salt, can cause the appearance of bowel cancer.
Oncological surgeon Rubens Kesley, coordinator of Inca’s Colorectal Cancer Group, says that the trend with the development of countries is for people to consume more processed foods. He says that, five years ago, Brazil had 25,000 new cases of colorectal cancer a year, and the expectation for the next five years is to reach 80,000 cases a year. “In a simpler way: today, there are 44,000 and counting. And the incidence will go up a lot.”
“The fiber is like a sweeper. Imagine a ‘broom’ that cleans the colon, the large intestine. When you stop using the broom, the garbage builds up. So, the lack of fiber-rich foods increases the incidence a lot”, he says.
Other things that favor the emergence of bowel cancer are smoking, physical inactivity and alcoholism. Among these, Kesley highlighted obesity, lack of physical activity and industrialized and low-fiber foods as the main factors for the development of colorectal cancer. “These are really the flagship of the most aggressive risk factors.”
Learn how to identify ultra-processed foods
Source: CNN Brasil
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