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Colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in Canada.
2008 Colorectal Cancer Statistics (Canada)
This year an estimated 21,500 Canadians will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer
and 8,900 will die from it.
On average, 413 Canadians will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer every week and 171 will die from the disease weekly.
One in 14 men is expected to develop colorectal cancer during his lifetime and one in 27 will die from it. One in 16 women is expected to develop colorectal cancer during her lifetime and one in 31 will die from it.
It seems nobody wants to bring up the subject of colon cancer. Maybe this negative stigma is the reason why it is such an effective killer among people across the globe. When it comes to cancer, colon cancer is the second largest killer, but only the third most common, so you can see just how deadly it is. Part of the problem with colon cancer is how undetectable it is. Most colon cancer starts out with simple, benign growths that, if you had access to them, could be taken care of with a pair of toenail clippers. These growths usually go undetected, often for years, before they develop into malignancies. Since you still can't see them, you will only know what's going on when you begin to develop the physical symptoms of cancer, such as unexplained weight change, pain, or a general feeling of sickness.
How dangerous is colon cancer? Well, in Canada, if you have stage 1 colon cancer (the less advanced of the 3 stages), you have a 93% chance of still being alive in 5 years, and a 92% chance of still being alive in 10 years. That sounds like pretty good survival rates, but keep in mind, that just means you will be breathing. Those statistics say nothing about your quality of life, your general wellbeing, or what kind of assistance you may need when it comes to tasks such as going to the bathroom.
Of course, you may live a perfectly happy, otherwise healthy, life. You just need to keep in mind that paper statistics only cover if you are still alive, not how much of a life you have.
If you have the more advanced stage 2 colon cancer, your chances drop. 5 year survival is 90%, and 10 year survival is 89%. Stage 3 is much worse, the 5 year survival rate is only 59%, and 56% for 10 years. As you can see, it is very important to catch colon cancer early on, and begin treatment as soon as possible.
Remember, the very best treatment ever invented is prevention. Let's take a look at some of the ways you can help prevent colon cancer from affecting you. First, if you are over the age of 50, you can get a head start by getting regular screenings. There may be more fun ways to spend your afternoon than in the doctor's office getting a colonoscopy, but this routine screening can uncover hidden growths that could lead to colon cancer if they were to go undetected for a long period of time.
You can also reduce your risk of colon cancer by following a strict diet and exercise program, which boosts your immune system, and prevents the DNA damage that can lead to many forms of cancer. Eating a diet low in red meat, rich in antioxidants, and high in fiber, has been shown to reduce your risk of contracting colon cancer. 30 minutes of vigorous exercise per day also helps keep your body in tip-top shape - inside, and out.
Risk Factors for colon cancer
The main risk factors for colon cancer include:
- Being 50 years of age or older.
- Having a previous history of colorectal polyps.
- Having an inflammatory bowel disease such as Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s disease.
- Having a poor diet, notably one high in red meat consumption and low in fibre, fruits and vegetables as a cause of constipation.
- Having a family history of colorectal cancer. (see more on hereditary syndromes associated to colorectal and other cancers)
- Having a personal history of ovarian, endometrial or breast cancer.
- Little or no exercise.