Colon cancer: Why preventive examinations are so decisive!

Colon cancer: Why preventive examinations are so decisive!

in March, the "intestinal cancer month", the focus is on the alarming statistics: around 2,500 people die from colon cancer in Austria every year. However, this cancer can be treated extremely easily in the event of early diagnosis, such as NÖN . Marco Carniel, an expert in this area, explains that many people continue to hesitate out of fear of investigations. They often have the idea that endoscopy could be painful, while the latest procedures with sedation offer almost painless treatment.

colonoscopy: Early detection is crucial

The risk of colon cancer is that symptoms often occur late, for example in the case of bleeding in the stool - an alarming sign that needs to be taken seriously. Here, polyps that are mostly asymptomatic can degenerate into malignant tumors. This coincides with the explanations in msd-manual indicate. These tissue mass often occur in the rectum and sigmoid and can turn into dangerous adenomas that increase the risk of colon carcinomas.

The vast majority of the polyps are diagnosed endoscopically and can be removed during colonoscopy. Carniel notes that the early detection and removal of polyps is not only a diagnosis, but also a form of preventive therapy. While in the past it was recommended to go to the preventive examination at the age of 50, he now advises experts to consider this from the age of 45, especially since more and more younger patients are affected. Factors such as overweight and unhealthy nutrition could contribute significantly.

The incidence of polyps comprises 7-50%, with larger adenomas being associated with a significantly increased risk of cancer. The importance of regular examinations and the timely removal of polyps are indispensable to prevent the disease from progressing. While preparation for colonoscopy is often perceived as uncomfortable, Carniel assures that the procedure is usually painless itself and patients can return to their everyday life directly after the examination.