Modern Health Observation

Given the association of colon cancer with lifestyle habits such as sedentary lifestyle, obesity, regular intake of red meat, or smoking, the main recommendations for cancer prevention in the general population are:

* Folate-rich diet (vegetables) and calcium (milk and derivatives), and low in fat and red meat.
* Leaving snuff consumption and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption.
* Perform regular exercise.

In medium-risk patients, ie older than 50 years without symptoms or family history, according to the criterion of your doctor may be appropriate to make, as appropriate:

* Fecal Occult Blood: 1 time per year, and if the result is positive, colonoscopy should be performed.
* Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years.
* FOBT with flexible sigmoidoscopy: FOBT annually and sigmoidoscopy every 5 years, which if performed first match fecal occult blood.
* Colonoscopy every 10 years.
* Barium enema double contrast every 5 years.

The recommendation for regular screening tests in patients with colorectal cancer risk depends on the level of risk:

*Increased risk of colorectal cancer, ie patients with first-degree relative with colon cancer or adenomatous polyps diagnosed before age 60 or suffering from colon cancer in several relatives: it is recommended to conduct the study with colonoscopy every 5 years starting at age 40.

*Patients with first-degree relatives with colorectal cancer or adenoma diagnosed at an older age of 60, or affected family members in second and third grade: it is recommended that annual fecal occult blood or biennial, and sigmoidoscopy every 5 years or colonoscopy every 10 years.

* In patients diagnosed with familial polyposis, hereditary colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps, guidelines must be followed colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy more often, and starting at early ages.

Taking into account the possibility of recurrence, especially in the first two years, it must be closely monitored after excision of the tumor.