Risk Factors

Obvious risk factors include previous bouts of colorectal cancer or a family history of it. A previous history of other cancers has been attributed to a high risk of polyps in the colon or rectum. “Family history” includes first-degree relatives such as parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins or grandparents. If one or more of these relatives had CRC earlier than age 50, your risk of cancer may be higher. Three to 5 percent of colon cancers are linked to hereditary gene susceptibility. Women who had ovarian or endometrial cancer or men who had testicular cancer are both at higher risk for CRC.

If you have a history of digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and others, your risk for colorectal cancer just got a little higher.

Diabetes increases one’s risk factor by a full 30 percent. Once cancer is detected and treated, the prognosis is still poor. Obesity that often accompanies diabetes is another risk factor. One study showed that obese women were four times more likely to get CRC than normal body-mass indexed women. Those women or men who are apple shaped also carry a higher risk because extra weight around the belly seems to be related to diabetes and insulin release.

Controllable lifestyle risk factors such as smoking or chewing tobacco doubles the risk of polyps, which are associated with colon cancer risks. In fact, some experts believe that up to 25 percent of CRC risk may be attributable to smoking or tobacco use. And having more than two drinks a day considerably increases your risk for cancer. If you are like many Americans, snacking on foods with a low nutritional value is comforting. But these factors and a sedentary lifestyle eventually may catch up to you, resulting in a high risk of colon cancer.

So put the odds in your favor and make a few lifestyle changes, get the prescribed screening for colorectal cancer at your doctor’s request, and keep your digestive tract happy and healthy.