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1. Colorectal cancer mainly affects women
“That’s not true,” says Natalie Cake, who, among other things, specializes in complex interventions in intestinal tumors at the Zurich Center for Surgery. “Colon cancer affects about 55 percent of men and 45 percent of women. There are about 4,500 new cases in Switzerland each year.” This means: 2500 cases affect men, 2000 women. Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer in both sexes. Prostate cancer (7100 cases) and lung cancer (2800 cases) are most common in men. Women suffer most frequently from breast cancer (6500 cases) and lung cancer (2000).
2. You can get colon cancer if you eat wrong
“Not everyone who eats the wrong food automatically gets colon cancer,” emphasizes Natalie Cake. However: “There are risk factors that may have an impact on nutrition. But you can reduce the risk by influencing it yourself.” For example, consumption of red and processed meats such as sausages can be problematic. “Make sure you don’t eat every day and switch to chicken and fish,” says the expert.
Even those who eat almost no roughage and eat low-fiber foods have an increased risk of colon cancer. “Therefore, eat a balanced diet and by no means be one-sided.” You should also be careful with alcohol. “Avoid daily alcohol consumption. Even small amounts of wine, such as 2 to 3 dl per day, increase the risk of colon cancer.» But even if you do everything right, there are no guarantees: “Even if you follow all the rules and eat really healthy, you can get colon cancer,” says the expert.
If you want to eat more according to your needs, you can analyze nutrition and metabolism and create a personalized diet. There are nutritional therapy options for people who have trouble eating due to illness, surgery or special conditions.
3. I can’t do anything about colon cancer
Yes, the correct answer is here. “There’s really nothing you can do about the specific factors that promote colorectal cancer. For example, against old age,” says Natalie Cake. The risk of bowel cancer naturally increases after age 50 and continues to increase with age. You also have no effect on chronic intestinal diseases that support colon cancer,” continues the expert.
However, as mentioned above, you can control your diet. “It’s important to keep your weight within normal limits and to exercise regularly,” emphasizes Natalie Cake. Because belly fat and lack of movement are considered risk factors for colon cancer. Exercising a lot and drinking enough water also helps against constipation.
4. As a preventive measure, only colonoscopy is performed.
“Wrong,” says Natalie Cake. “In addition to colonoscopy, stool blood testing is an established preventative method.” It is recommended to do this every two years from the age of 50. If blood is seen in the stool sample, a colonoscopy should be performed. Advantage of Colonoscopy: “It allows earlier detection of early stages of cancer that is not usually bleeding. And they can be removed in the same order. Colonoscopy is a combination of diagnosis and treatment.» If the colonoscopy is unremarkable, it only needs to be repeated every ten years. “If precancerous lesions are found, the colonoscopy should be repeated after three to five years.”
5. Colonoscopy hurts
Natalie Cake “This is not true!” says. The rumor persists because in the past colonoscopy was often performed without anesthetic drugs. “It was probably uncomfortable because you could feel the tube being inserted through the anus.” Today, patients are usually given a mild sleeping pill or tranquilizer, so almost nothing about colonoscopy is noticed. “There’s also no pain. So no one needs to be afraid,” says Natalie Cake. If you still have doubts: A video crew accompanied a patient during a colonoscopy. Former Nati goalkeeper Pascal Zuberbühler (52) went through the procedure without any problems and talks about it in an interview.
6. Colonoscopies are safe
“Yes, a colonoscopy is the best and most accurate screening test for colorectal cancer,” says Natalie Cake. However, it is important that patients strictly follow the preparation instructions. “The bowels have to be empty to detect precancerous stages. If there is dirt, you may not be able to see polyps.” Therefore, it is important to take the laxative solution given before the colonoscopy seriously and not eat anything else. “Otherwise you’ll have to come back a second time,” says Natalie Cake. The intestine is clean only when water comes out. Colonoscopy examines the large intestine and the lower part of the small intestine. By far the most common tumors are found in the colon, while tumors of the small intestine are generally rare.
7. You should take precautions from the age of 50
As mentioned earlier, age is a risk factor. “This is why people over the age of 50 are recommended to have a colonoscopy,” says Natalie Cake. However, there are also people who need to have the examination done before. “For example, if your father had colon cancer at age 52, you should have yourself examined at age 42,” says the doctor. For first degree relatives, the 10 years ago rule applies. People with chronic bowel disease should be monitored more closely to avoid missing cancer.
8. Polyps in the intestines are dangerous
“Yes,” says Natalie Cake. “Polyps, also known as adenomas, are the harbingers of cancer. However, it may take many years for them to turn into colon cancer. However, if they are noticed during colonoscopy, they are removed as a precaution.” It may also be that the polyps have grown large enough to require surgical removal. “Although the polyps are benign, they have no health effects. But as a precaution, you need to have a colonoscopy earlier than others.” By the way, there are also genetic diseases in which hundreds of polyps are formed in the intestine and therefore the risk of colon cancer is much higher.
9. You don’t even realize you have colon cancer
“True: Many types of cancer are only detected when the tumor has already advanced,” says Natalie Cake. In the case of colon cancer, you should suspect one or more of the following symptoms: blood in the stool, stool irregularities, urge to defecate, pencil stool, black discoloration, sputum, abdominal pain, unintended weight loss, and fever. “But blood in the stool can also be due to hemorrhoids.” It is best not to wait for symptoms to appear and to have preventive examinations such as colonoscopy from age 50.
10. Colon cancer is incurable
“This isn’t true,” says Natalie Cake. “Colon cancer is operated very often, mostly to treat it. We are also achieving many successes.” If the cancer is confined to the colon, usually the treatment is surgery. If it has exceeded the wall layers of the intestine and has formed branches in the lymph nodes, these are also removed and chemotherapy is required in addition to the surgery. Even then, the chances of recovery are good. If the cancer has spread through the blood to the liver or lungs and has formed metastases – the medical term for branches – then things get more complicated. Depending on how many metastases there are and where they are, the chance of recovery decreases. “If metastases can be removed, treatment is also possible at an advanced tumor stage,” emphasizes the expert.
Learn more about the different ways to treat cancer.
11. If you have colon cancer, you will be operated by the robot.
“Wrong. Sometimes we operate with a robot, but it’s controlled by the surgeon. So the robot doesn’t work independently,” corrects Natalie Cake. The model used by the Hirslanden Group is called Da Vinci Xi. It has four arms controlled by a console. “The robot arm can move more flexibly than the human wrist. This allows you to work very precisely and precisely. And you get a better view in 3D and magnification,” emphasizes Natalie Cake. Da Vinci Xi specifically emphasizes the rectum, which is deep in the pelvis. It’s helpful for cancer.” There’s very little room out there. Because the robot has instruments that can be angled, it is much easier to use than traditional methods,” says Cake. The Da Vinci Xi robot is also used in urology and cardiology, for example in prostate surgeries or heart valve interventions.
Source : Blick
I am Dawid Malan, a news reporter for 24 Instant News. I specialize in celebrity and entertainment news, writing stories that capture the attention of readers from all walks of life. My work has been featured in some of the world’s leading publications and I am passionate about delivering quality content to my readers.
