Colorectal cancer younger? Be careful if there is "1 phenomenon" in your family history! There is a big difference in survival rates between early and late stages at the time of discovery.
Is colorectal cancer hereditary before the age of 40? Doctor: Pay attention to family history
Yu Tian’s daughter Yu Yuanqi passed away due to recurrence of colorectal cancer at the age of 39, which triggered Taiwanese people’s attention to the issue of colorectal cancer rejuvenation and cancer screening. Dr. Qiu Hanmo, director of the Department of Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment at National Taiwan University Hospital and clinical professor of internal medicine at the Department of Medicine, National Taiwan University School of Medicine, said in an exclusive interview with healthorn that although colorectal cancer has a younger trend, colorectal cancer occurs at an “extremely young age” under the age of 40 and often has a strong familial tendency. Risks, and its disease mechanism is also different from the “sporadic” colorectal cancer that is common in people over 50 years of age.
Dr. Qiu Hanmo pointed out that for people under the age of 40 who are diagnosed with colorectal cancer, the first step is to understand whether two or more generations within the family history have had a member who suffered from colorectal cancer before the age of 50. It is more important to analyze the “genealogy” of family history than to review lifestyle habits, and to evaluate whether it is related to inherited special gene mutations such as Lynch syndrome (Lynch syndrome), because this kind of genetic disease may not only cause colorectal cancer, but also may lead to colorectal cancer. Cancers that cause the endometrium and other organs pose significant health risks to patients.
Dr. Qiu Hanmo explained that colorectal cancer cases caused by hereditary special gene mutations account for about 10-20% of all colorectal cancers. According to international treatment guidelines, people with relevant gene mutations need to undergo colorectal cancer screening from a young age. Family members should also be vigilant. If it is indeed this type of colorectal cancer, the screening organs will not only be the large intestine, but other organs should also be included in the surveillance based on the location of the mutation.
What are the causes of colorectal cancer rejuvenation? Avoid sugary drinks and red meat?
Changes in Westernized diet promote younger age of colorectal cancer? Dr. Qiu Hanmo said that the incidence of colorectal cancer among people aged 40-49 has indeed increased, and the influencing factors are relatively complex. Foreign studies have found that the generation born after the 1960s has a higher risk of colorectal cancer between the ages of 40 and 49 than the previous generation. This is obviously affected by the “generation effect”. Possible reasons include lifestyle and eating habits, intestinal bacteria Phase changes and so on.
Dr. Qiu Hanmo explained that as medical standards improved after the 1960s, the number of colorectal cancers increased instead of decreasing. This was believed to be related to modern living habits, including the intake of sugary drinks, high daily caloric intake, increased red meat consumption, and excessive oil intake. Fried and grilled cooking methods.
On the other hand, antibiotics are so popular and even abused that exposure to too many antibiotics in childhood may permanently change the intestinal flora and increase the risk of colorectal cancer and other diseases. When the intestinal flora is affected by antibiotics at a younger age, the risk of diabetes and obesity will increase, thereby increasing the risk of intestinal cancer. Dr. Qiu Hanmo pointed out that the increase in the incidence of colorectal cancer in the generation born after the 1960s may be the result of the multi-axis and multi-directional interaction of dietary and drug factors.
Is there a big difference between survival and recurrence rates of colorectal cancer? The key is still to “discover the period”
Even though the treatment of colorectal cancer has made great progress nowadays, the timing of tumor detection still has a decisive impact on the survival rate and recurrence rate. Dr. Qiu Hanmo explained that stage 0 colorectal cancer can be cured almost 100%; stage 1 has a long-term survival rate of 93%-94%; stage 2 has a long-term survival rate of 70%-80%; stage 3 has a long-term survival rate of 50%-60% ; The 5-year survival rate of stage 4 patients is only over 10%. There is a significant difference in survival rates between stages, and the later the disease is detected, the higher the recurrence rate.
Dr. Qiu Hanmo said that after being diagnosed with colorectal cancer, the first priority is to receive formal treatment. However, foreign studies have shown that good exercise habits and lifestyle can effectively reduce the recurrence rate. However, the key to determining survival and recurrence is the stage at which the cancer is discovered, which is why bowel cancer screening has been vigorously promoted in recent years. About half of the colorectal cancers detected through screening are stage 0-1, making it easier to enter the “victory group” in fighting cancer. Once it evolves to stage 2-3, not only surgery but also chemotherapy is required. In addition to medical costs, the difficulty of maintaining quality of life also increases significantly.
Should young people be screened for colorectal cancer early? Doctor: Consider starting at the age of 45
To prevent colorectal cancer, does everyone need to start screening early? Dr. Qiu Hanmo pointed out that there has indeed been a related trend in the past two or three years. The relevant guidelines of the American Cancer Society and the Preventive Medicine Group have both advanced the recommended age for colorectal cancer screening to 45 years old. Whether Taiwan’s colorectal cancer screening policy will be followed up remains to be further discussed by experts, the government and all sectors of society.
Dr. Qiu Hanmo said that overall, colorectal cancer screening is more effective for those aged 50-75 years old. However, in view of the increase in the proportion of colorectal cancer among those aged 40-49 years old, especially among men, starting screening at the age of 45 as early as possible is a future consideration. The way. As for very young people under the age of 40, there is no need to panic and conduct frequent screenings. It is more important to understand family history risk factors. If there is a history of colorectal cancer in the family before the age of 50, it may be a high-risk family gene. You should find out early whether you have a familial gene mutation disease.
Dr. Qiu Hanmo emphasized that in order to prevent cancer, the most important thing for young people is to maintain good living habits; in addition to living habits, middle-aged and elderly people must also increase their awareness of screening, such as the government’s current promotion of health screening and screening for adults over 45 years old. Proper use of the four cancer screening resources will help to detect cancer early, improve the cure rate and obtain a good prognosis.
Further reading:
