Health summoned 119,368 people for the early diagnosis of colon and rectal cancer

This pathology is considered the most frequent malignant tumor and the second cause of death from cancer in Spain

The
Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands quoted
119,368 people, aged between 50 and 69 years, throughout the year 2021, under the Program for Early Diagnosis of Colo and Rectal Cancer of the Canary Islands. This supposes
74.8% more people cited than in 2020.

With measures like this, Health seeks to make the population visible, inform and raise awareness of the importance of adopting healthy lifestyle habits to prevent the appearance of this ailment. Also, it joins the commemoration of the World Day against Colon Cancer that takes place tomorrow, Thursday, March 31.

From Health they report that colorectal cancer is a consequence of
abnormal growth of cells that form the tissues of the final tract of the digestive systembeing the main risk factors for its development age (greater risk after 50 years), family history and having suffered other tumors or digestive pathologies, such as inflammatory bowel disease -ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Despite this, it should be noted that
survival exceeds 90% in those cases in which the disease is detected early.

How to prevent colorectal cancer

Keep a healthy and balanced diet, avoid a sedentary lifestyle and smoking, and perform diagnostic tests on timeare the most effective measures to prevent colorectal cancer.

The proposals to participate in the Colorectal Cancer Early Diagnosis Program aim to detect this pathology considered to be the most frequent malignant tumor and the second leading cause of death from cancer in Spain.

Of the total population cited last year, they participated in the Early Detection Program
50,692 peoplewhat represents
42.5% of those cited.

The screening test carried out, the stool blood test, was positive in 2,747 patients and, as a consequence, 1,077 colonoscopies were performed in which, according to data from the Pathological Anatomy services,
46 colon cancers were detected, 66 high-risk and 227 low-risk adenomas; which gives an idea of ​​the importance of early detection and, therefore, of participation in the Pathology Screening Program.

Proof

The colon cancer early diagnosis test is performed on the population between 50 and 69 years of age and consists of a simple
fecal occult blood test, through a single intake that can be done at home and taken to the health center. In the event that it is positive,
A colonoscopy should be done to check the reason for the bleeding.rado, which may be due to an inconsequential polyp but whose removal would prevent it from becoming cancer over time.

Through early diagnosis of this tumor it is possible to reduce the number of cases, since
action on the polyp prevents progression to cancer and, on the other hand, detection in earlier phases allows therapeutic action in the same process of diagnostic endoscopy and thus increases the survival rate.

queries

The implementation of the Colorectal Cancer Early Diagnosis Program has led to the detection of patients considered to be at high risk, who are referred to specific hospital consultations for this pathology.

If the disease is detected at an early stage, mortality can decrease by up to 30%, an important figure considering that the average survival is around 55% in five years. In addition, the detection of precancerous lesions and the removal of the polyps that cause them mean that between 60 and 90% of cases do not develop colon cancer.