Cases of bowel cancer, like the one that struck singer and businesswoman Preta Gil, usually only manifest symptoms in advanced stages, which makes treatment difficult and reduces the chances of cure. Therefore, people with risk factors should begin screening exams before the age of 50, which is the recommended age for the general population.
“When the patient has a family member diagnosed with cancer, this age decreases further, becoming more specific and individualized for each person. Screening is done through an analysis of life history, physical examination, and the two main screening tests: the stool test to check for occult bleeding, and colonoscopy, where we look inside the bowel and search for nodules, polyps, and cancer,” explains gastrointestinal surgeon Lucas Nacif, full member of the Brazilian College of Digestive Surgery.
Numbers
Colon and rectal cancers, which affect the bowel, are the third most common in Brazil, with around 45,000 new cases per year, according to estimates from the National Cancer Institute for the 2023-2025 triennium. Incidence is highest in the Southeast Region – where it rises to second place for new cases – and among women.
Nacif explains that the cancer usually develops from benign lesions, such as polyps, raising the alert for people with this condition, as well as cases like Crohn’s disease and other chronic intestinal inflammations. Additionally, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, regular alcohol consumption, tobacco, ultra-processed foods, and poor diet are also risk factors.
Unfortunately, according to the specialist, there is still a cultural factor that hinders early diagnosis: “People are reluctant to see a doctor for this screening because the exam starts with a physical evaluation, and the doctor usually has to perform a rectal exam. But with a simple evaluation, the doctor can already be very specific in this prevention,” explains Lucas Nacif.
Alert
The gastrointestinal surgeon warns of the risks of only seeking medical advice after symptoms appear.
“Warning signs are usually changes in bowel habits, whether frequent diarrhea or constipation, weight loss, bleeding during bowel movements, and abdominal pain may also be present. But these situations generally occur when the cancer is already advanced, which is why screening is so important,” he concludes.
Source: Agência Brasil