Hyderabad: There is a lot of concern among football fans all around the world regarding the health of Brazilian football legend Pele, who is undergoing treatment for colon cancer, and recently tested positive for Covid-19. Although cancer, whichever it may be, comes under the category of complex diseases, but the progress made in the medical field in the last few years has resulted in early detection, proper treatment and complete curing of most types of cancer, including Colon Cancer.
Significantly, the cases of colon cancer i.e. cancer of the large intestine have increased a lot in the last few years not just in the country but around the world. In India, Colon cancer is known as the fourth most prevalent cancer. ETV Bharat Sukhibhava consulted Dr Digpal Dharkar, a senior surgical oncologist, cancer surgeon, and founder of Indore Cancer Foundation regarding the causes and the condition of colon cancer.
Dr Digpal Dharkar explains that colon cancer can happen at any age, but in most cases, it affects the elderly. It usually occurs in the innermost layer of the wall of the large intestine. Dr Dharkar explains that a poor or sedentary lifestyle, especially a poor diet, can be considered the biggest reason for colon cancer. Apart from this, many other reasons can be responsible for it such as:
- Red meats or other such foods in which carcinogenic effects i.e. cancer-promoting elements are found can increase the risk of colon cancer. He explains that normally after eating food, it leaves the stomach in about 90 minutes, and in two and a half hours it passes through the colon and reaches the rectum, but if our lifestyle is inactive, then the speed of stool formation in our large intestine slows down. In such situations, if carcinogenic elements are present in our diet, then they remain on the inner lining of the colon and the lining above the mucosa for a long time, which can affect the colon.
Apart from this, our lifestyles are becoming sedentary and inactive, due to which the risk of not just colon cancer but also many other types of cancer increases.
- At the same time, the amount of fast foods, junk food and saturated food is increasing in people's diets, which can increase the risk of colon and other kinds of cancer.
- Sometimes genetic reasons can also be the cause of colon cancer. In fact, in colon cancer, cancer cells start growing in the polyps present in the form of small nodules in our colon, also known as Familial Adenomatous Polyposis. Due to genetic reasons, these polyps can sometimes be pre-cancerous in people.
- Old age can also be a reason.
Dr Dharkar explains that persistent problems or changes in bowel movement routine for two to three consecutive months, taking longer time to pass stool, difficulty while passing stool, dis-satisfactory bowel movement or feeling that the stomach is not cleared can be considered as alarming symptoms of colon cancer. Apart from these, there are some other symptoms which can indicate this disease. Some of these are:
- Blood in the stool or small or large clots of blood in the stool.
- Persistent diarrhoea or constipation problems.
- Feeling weak or tired and loss of appetite.
- Weight loss.
- Abdominal pain or discomfort.
Dr Dharkar explains that if you want to avoid any type of cancer, especially colon cancer, then keep your diet and lifestyle healthy. He explains that green vegetables, pulses, grains and salads are all present in Indian cuisine, and essential nutrients for the body are found in abundance in it.