Globally, cardiovascular disease remains the main killer, but in rich countries, cancer has become the leading cause of death, says a France foundation for cancer, the Arc Foundation for Cancer Research.
Colorectal cancer is currently the second leading cause of death among oncological diseases. What’s more, it is being diagnosed more often in young patients in recent times, notes Lelena Smirnova, oncologist and digestive surgeon.
“Thanks to the immune system, the body fights off the ‘broken’ cells that are constantly circulating in the body, causing a tumor to develop. Smoking, alcohol consumption, and lack of physical activity damage immunity and are all risk factors for developing cancer. However, the number one cause of the development of the disease is diet,” she says.
According to her, the main cause of colorectal cancer is eating unhealthy foods, regardless of bad habits, that she only considers risk factors.
Red meats in the sights
Researchers at the University of Oxford, for their part, cited foods that increase or reduce the risk of bowel cancer. Thus, they claimed that red and processed meats presented a particular danger, just like alcohol, above all beer. In contrast, fiber from vegetables and whole-grain products may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
As colorectal cancer goes unnoticed in the early stages of development, Lelena Smirnova previously called for specific symptoms such as recurrent pain in the abdomen, abdominal distension, changes in faecal habits, blood in the stool, permanent fatigue, or weight loss.
