Colorectal Cancer Awareness and Prevention Program

Medical Associates of North Georgia and the
North Georgia Endoscopy Center

Reducing Your Risk For Colon Cancer

	Physical Activity Lack of physical activity is the risk factor most consistently shown to be associated with an increased risk of colon cancer.
	Avoid Red Meat There is considerable evidence that high intake of red meat increases risk of colon cancer among both men and women.
	Multivitamins and Folic Acid Studies suggest that the use of multivitamins containing folic acid are beneficial in reducing the risk of colon cancer.
	Calcium Researchers at Harvard found that those who consumed 1200 milligrams of calcium daily significantly reduced their risk of colon cancer by 40 to 50 percent.
	Obesity Obesity influences the development of colonic polyps, as well as the progression of these polyps from being benign to malignant. Both men and women with excessive body weight are at an increased risk for colon polyps and colon cancer.
	Fruit, Vegetables, and Fiber Studies show that raw vegetables, green leafy vegetables, and cruciferous vegetables, along with various fruits and fiber, appear to be particularly protective for both men and women.
	Alcohol Studies support an association between alcohol intake and increased risk of colon cancer among both men and women.
	Tobacco Use Studies show that exposure to cigarette smoking increases the risk of colon cancer, as well as colon polyps among both men and women.
	Aspirin Regular aspirin use over an extended period of time may reduce the risk of colon cancer by as much as 50% among both men and women.
	Hormone Use The use of postmenopausal hormones may reduce a woman's risk of colon cancer by as much as 44% in some studies. The use of hormones after menopause should always be discussed with your primary care physician or your gynecologist.
Summary of the Prevention of Colon Cancer The Harvard Report on Cancer Prevention states that if Americans were to modify the behavior factors discussed above, more than 50% of all colon cancers could be prevented.
A Word on Colorectal Cancer Screening by Colonoscopy For most diseases, screening is considered a secondary prevention because it detects early forms of cancer but does not prevent the actual development of the cancer. However, colon cancer screening can be considered primary prevention because the screening has the ability to detect and remove pre-cancerous polyps before they have the chance to develop into cancer. Primary prevention involves the removal of pre-cancerous polyps that may progress to carcinoma if left undetected. The Harvard Cancer Study clearly shows that the removal of polyps in the population DOES INDEED lead to a reduction in the incidence of colon cancer. Colon screening also leads to secondary prevention, which is the detection of colon cancer at its earliest, most treatable stage of disease. This type of prevention will not reduce colon cancer incidence, but will indeed reduce mortality rates.