Community & Charities
Is your gut healthy?
In recent decades, the number of bowel cancer patients has been rising and according to the CUHK Jockey Club Bowel Cancer Education Centre, it is the most common cancer in Hong Kong. Want to know how powerful of a killer it is?
Bowel cancer is a general term that includes cancer of the ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon and rectum, and about 70-80 percent of cancers are found in the latter two. Because symptoms are not always obvious and are often similar to intestinal diseases, by the time a problem is discovered, it may already be advanced-stage cancer.
The following are high-risk groups agreed upon by the medical profession:
| High risk activity/group | Ways to improve | |
|---|---|---|
| Avoidable risk factors | Consuming large quantities of processedSwitching to white meat and seafood red meat | Usually not cancerous, and lesions tend to be benign |
| Consuming too few vegetables | Eating 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables each day | |
| Smoking and/or drinking | Abstaining from smoking and drinking | |
| Central obesity (abdominal fat carries chemical substances through the endocrine system which can lead to higher chances of bowel cancer ) |
Exercising regularly to maintain a normal weight and get sluggish intestines moving | |
| Unavoidable risk factors | Male aged 50 or above | Regular colorectal cancer screening starting at age 50 |
| First degree relatives had colorectal cancer | Regular colorectal cancer screening starting from age 40 |
Symptoms:
- Blood in the stool
- Tenesmus
- Changes in bowel habits and stool abnormalities
- Fatigue, loss of appetite, or weight loss
Generally, it takes around five to ten years or even longer for polyps to develop into bowel cancer, so you should seize the opportunity to prevent and reduce the risk. Some symptoms such as "changes in bowel habits and stool abnormalities" and “tenesmus” can be difficult to define. Let’s listen as Professor Martin Wong of the CUHK Jockey Club Bowel Cancer Education Centre describes the symptoms.
*If you have any questions or need any advice on the content of these tips, please talk to your doctor or other qualified professional.
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