Reduce Your Colon Cancer Risk

If you’ve been putting off your first colonoscopy, pick up the phone now. One in 20 Americans receives a colon cancer diagnosis in his or her lifetime, according to the National Cancer Institute, making it one of the most prevalent cancers in the United States. The good news: “It’s also largely preventable,” says Brennan Scott, M.D., a gastroenterologist with Sutter.

Colon cancer symptoms usually don’t appear until the cancer is already well advanced — so it’s crucial to know your risk factors and to get screened. Most cases occur after age 50, but you can take steps throughout your lifetime to reduce your risk.

Know Your Family History

To determine any genetic predisposition, find out if you have any blood relatives that have or had colon cancer. This matters even if you’re young; according to the National Cancer Institute, the number of new colon cancer deaths in adults younger than 50 has slowly increased since 1998. 

Sanjay Ramrakhiani, M.D., a gastroenterologist and interventional endoscopic specialist with Sutter, says it’s helpful to ask family members with colon cancer for specifics, such as how old they were when first diagnosed. 

“The younger your relative is when he or she developed colon cancer, the higher your risk of developing it, too,” Dr. Ramrakhiani says. “Knowing details of a family member’s illness can help inform what type of screening tests we use and how often we use them.”

Get Screened

The most important and effective way to catch this disease is a colonoscopy — the gold standard for detecting colon cancer and precancerous polyps, says Chainarong Limvarapuss, M.D., an oncologist with Sutter. “If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, we typically recommend a first colonoscopy at age 40 and additional screenings every three to five years,” Dr. Limvarapuss says. “If the disease does not run in your family, we encourage a first colonoscopy at age 50.” 

Colonoscopy presents a unique opportunity. “A colonoscopy is so valuable because it can both prevent and treat,” Dr. Scott says. “Tests like mammography, for instance, can only detect cancer early, but colonoscopy can detect and remove precancerous polyps.”

Learn more about colonoscopy myths and facts to understand the advantage of this important test. Your doctor can discuss other tests as well, such as fecal occult blood tests, sigmoidoscopy, virtual colonoscopy or double-contrast barium enema. 

Inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, puts you at higher risk for colon cancer, so you might need more frequent monitoring. Talk to your doctor about when to begin screening tests and how often to have them.

Make Lifestyle Changes

Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

Carrying extra weight increases your risk of developing and dying from colon cancer, Dr. Ramrakhiani says, so it’s important to step on the scale every once in a while. 

Exercise Regularly

Thirty to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day can help protect you from developing colon cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. “Moderate levels of activity reduce the risk for all cancers by 30 to 40%. That’s a big benefit right there that everyone should take advantage of each day,” Dr. Ramrakhiani says. 

Eat a Healthy Diet

A well-balanced diet and heart-healthy cooking practices reduce your risk of developing colon cancer and heart disease. Fill your meals with plenty of vegetables, antioxidant-rich fruits and whole grains, the American Cancer Society suggests. 

Cut down on red meat, such as beef, pork and lamb, as well as processed meats such as bacon, salami, hot dogs, sausages, canned meat and ham. High-heat frying, broiling or grilling meats also creates cancer-promoting chemicals, so avoid these methods when possible. 

Limit Alcohol

Research links heavy alcohol intake with colon cancer, so stick to no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink a day for women. 

Snuff Out Cigarettes

In case you need another reason to quit, the American Cancer Society reports that people who smoke for a long time are more likely than nonsmokers to develop and die from colon cancer. Smoking is also linked to an increased risk of colorectal adenomas, tumors that are the precursors to colon cancer. 

Dr. Limvarapuss says the best thing you can do to prevent cancer is never smoke in the first place. But if you do light up, quitting now could save your life. 

“There is no way we can ignore the simple fact that smoking causes cancer,” he says. “Smoking can be a difficult addiction to overcome, but there are many smoking cessation programs, classes and support groups that can help you along the way.”