What exactly causes Colin Cancer?!
Question:
What exactly causes Colin Cancer?
My father-in-law just had a colinoscopy and they found something that they will need to do a biopsy on, his doctor is afraid it may be cancer. Although this may sound bad, if it is cancerous, I am hoping that the doctor will relate it to his exessive drinking (beer) and smoking. My hope is that it will scare him into quitting. I hate my kids being around him the way he is. Does anyone know?
Answers:
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the United States. (However, in almost all cases, early diagnosis can lead to a complete cure.)
There is no single cause for colon cancer. Nearly all colon cancers begin as benign polyps, which slowly develop into cancer.
You have a higher risk for colon cancer if you have:
* Colorectal polyps
* Cancer elsewhere in the body
* A family history of colon cancer
* Ulcerative colitis
* Crohn's disease
* Personal history of breast cancer
Certain genetic syndromes also increase the risk of developing colon cancer.
What you eat may play a role in your risk of colon cancer. Colon cancer may be associated with a high-fat, low-fiber diet and red meat. However, some studies found that the risk does not drop if you switch to a high-fiber diet, so the cause of the link is not yet clear.
On its colorectal cancer page, the National Cancer Institute does not list alcohol as a risk factor: however, on another page it states, "Heavy alcohol use may also increase the risk of colorectal cancer"
Please see the web pages for more details on Colorectal cancer.