Chennai: With colon cancers witnessing a 10 per cent annual increase in the state and rectal cancer a 4.9 per cent annual increase, one would have expected the public to be better aware of its symptoms. However, the knowledge about the link between constipation and the cancers is found to be very minimal, state oncologists.
“Though constipation may not be a direct cause, it is one of the most common symptoms of the cancers,” said Dr Anita Ramesh, Professor in Medical Oncology at Saveetha University. It is essential that every individual maintains a good bowel habit, she stressed.
Colorectal cancer (CRC), which is the third most common cancer among men and the second most common among women, had not found a place among the top 10 cancers until 2012. A team of researchers recently found that a diet high in fat increases the risk of colorectal cancer (bowel cancer) as it causes cells in the gut to mutate.
“Earlier, in India, people were not used to junk food. Now with the change in food habits, this form of cancer tends to develop as the consumption of fatty and junk foods disables smooth digestion and results in the increase in transport time of the bowel,” said Dr V. Shanta, Chairperson, Adyar Cancer Institute.
Although the incidence of CRC is lower in India as compared to other countries, it is steadily increasing and is currently estimated to be 7 per lakh population per year. “This is due to increasing life expectancy, changing life style in terms of diet and physical inactivity causing obesity, lack of effective screening programs among the general population and also the lack of mass awareness and education about the risk factors and prevention of CRC,” said an oncologist from Kerala.
“My school junior suffered from constipation for years together. Each time, he would visit a doctor to arrest the constipation. However, he passed away,” said a businessman, S. Sukumar, who also works on creating awareness about cancers. People suffering with regular bouts of constipation should visit an oncologist as well, he opined.
