Reminder: colonoscopy can detect early bowel cancer, people with these 8 conditions, it is best to check once a year
Recently, Xiao Jiu saw a post from a netizen on the Internet, which made her feel helpless.
This netizen had just passed his 26th birthday, but was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer . After the first chemotherapy, he couldn't stand it anymore, and began to feel confused about the follow-up treatment. He doesn't know how long he can live. At the age of 26, life seems to be counting down.
"I'm not afraid of death or suffering. I'm afraid that after trying my best, my parents will send me away."
After reading the post, Xiao Jiu could feel the torment and confusion from his words. And at the bottom of this post, there are some " sick and sympathetic " netizens who are telling their own experiences, and the youngest of them is only 21 years old...
Although medical technology continues to advance, the incidence of colon cancer remains unchanged, and even younger. Most colon cancers are detected at an advanced stage, and patients therefore miss the best time for treatment. How terrible is this colon cancer?
1. Intestinal cancer is neither painful nor itchy, and most of them are found in the late stage
At present, colorectal cancer is a cancer with a relatively high incidence in China, with about 400,000 new cases and 200,000 deaths each year, ranking among the highest in the world. Bowel cancer is dangerous, but if detected early, its cure rate can reach more than 90% . However, the current status of bowel cancer in China is:
The detection rate of early colorectal cancer is less than 15%, about 85% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed in the middle and advanced stages, and the five-year survival rate is less than 40%.
What makes bowel cancer difficult to detect early?
It turns out that there are no particularly obvious symptoms in the early stages of bowel cancer. When there are obvious symptoms, such as abdominal pain, bloody stools, and changes in bowel habits, the disease usually has developed to the second or third stage . It is only at this time that we decide to go for an examination, which often misses the best time for treatment.
In addition, the symptoms of blood in the stool of bowel cancer are easily misdiagnosed as hemorrhoids , and a considerable number of patients even deal with it on their own because they are ashamed of the examination, delaying regular treatment. At present, colonoscopy is the most effective and direct means to prevent colon cancer, especially for high-risk groups, colonoscopy should be completed regularly.
2. Do colonoscopy 5 years in advance, the risk of colon cancer is reduced by 50%
Through colonoscopy, doctors can visually observe the condition of the patient's entire intestinal tract, and can also complete some small resections under the endoscope.
The " 2020 Global Cancer Statistical Report " pointed out that the incidence of bowel cancer over the age of 50 is gradually decreasing, but affected by factors such as unhealthy life, diet, and obesity, the incidence of bowel cancer under the age of 50 is still on the rise . Therefore, In the past, the screening threshold for bowel cancer was set at 50 years old, which may have missed many patients.
So what is the reasonable age threshold for colonoscopy? The related research of the Stanford University team may inspire us.
The researchers selected the relevant data of Florida from 2005 to 2016 and divided it into two groups of four parts. The first group was 195,000 people aged 45-49 who underwent colonoscopy, and the second group was 50-54 There were 660,000 people who underwent colonoscopy at the age of 66, and the two groups were compared with 2.57 million and 2.43 million who did not undergo colonoscopy in the same period .
After adjusting for related factors such as age and gender, the researchers found that the risk of bowel cancer was relatively reduced by 50% among people who received colonoscopy for the first time at the age of 45-49 .
The researchers emphasized that compared with the age group of 50-54, people who underwent colonoscopy at the age of 45-49 had a higher proportion of suspected bowel cancer symptoms , which means that colonoscopy for high-risk groups of bowel cancer has a positive effect. significance.
In a speech, Professor Li Zhaoshen, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering , directly emphasized: If you have not had a colonoscopy at the age of 45, it is recommended to have a colonoscopy as soon as possible, and you will be fine for five or ten years .
3. For people with 8 situations, it is best to check the colonoscopy
Director Zhao Ren of Shanghai Ruijin Hospital pointed out that at present, many residents in China do not have the habit of early screening for bowel cancer.
So, when do you need a colonoscopy? People who have the following 8 situations should arrange it as soon as possible.
Recently, the number of stools has increased, and the stools have become thinner or shapeless; constipation and diarrhea occur alternately or long-term constipation cannot be cured for a long time; defecation becomes irregular, with mucus or pus and blood in the stool; long-term abdominal pain, abdominal distension, unexplained reason; long-term occult blood in the stool positive;
If colorectal tumors are suspected and the barium enema X-ray examination is negative, colonoscopy screening should be done as soon as possible;
Patients after colorectal cancer surgery should undergo regular colonoscopy examinations, usually 6 months to 1 year after surgery;
Have been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, schistosomiasis and other diseases;
When there are symptoms of lower gastrointestinal bleeding, colonoscopy can be performed to find the bleeding focus and cause of bleeding, and endoscopic hemostasis can be performed if necessary;
When abnormal thickening of the intestinal wall is found by abdominal CT or other examinations, colonoscopy should be used to further check for intestinal cancer;
Patients with chronic colitis who have not been cured by long-term medication should undergo colonoscopy;
When there is unexplained weight loss, anemia, abdominal mass, and elevated carcinoembryonic antigen, colonoscopy should be performed to screen for intestinal cancer;
It is a regrettable fact that bowel cancer is always diagnosed in the middle and late stages! Here, I appeal to everyone to pay attention to the early screening of bowel cancer, especially for high-risk groups, and the screening threshold should be moved up to 45 years old to prevent problems before they happen.
References:
[1]Sehgal M, Ladabaum U, Mithal A, et al. Colorectal Cancer Incidence After Colonoscopy at Ages 45–49 or 50–54 Years[J]. Gastroenterology, 2021.
[2] Colonoscopy should be done at the age of 45! The big data of 6 million people found that the first colonoscopy at the age of 45-49 was associated with a 50% reduction in the risk of colorectal cancer. Digestive World.2021-03-26
[3] "The Lancet": A colonoscopy can keep you safe! These 22 types of people should be checked as soon as possible! .China Medical Tribune Today Tumor.2022-07-27
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