Rei do Futebol was diagnosed with cancer in September 2021, but the metastasis was found months later; signs of the problem include stool changes and abdominal pain
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, the Leather, died at the age of 82 on Thursday 29, after a month of hospitalization. He cared to colon cancer since September of last year. Months later, tests revealed metastases in her intestines, liver and lungs.
According to the National Cancer Institute (Inca), the most frequent malignancy in Brazil is non-melanoma skin (31.3% of all cases). The female breast follows (10.5%); then prostate (10.2%), colon and rectum (6.5%), lung (4.6%) and stomach (3.1%).
Colorectal cancer includes cancers that affect a segment of the large intestine (the colon) and the rectum. It has treatment, in most cases, and is treatable if caught early and hasn’t yet reached other organs.
The most common age of patients with this type of cancer ranges from 60 to 65 years, and the incidence is similar between men and women. Mortality from disease, according to Inca, varies from 8.4% of cases (in male patients) to 9.6% (in women).
Colorectal cancer often starts with a small lesion or sore in the intestine, a polyp (wart), that causes no symptoms. It is common for symptoms to appear only when the lesion is advanced. This can cause obstruction in the intestines and make stool difficult to pass or go deeper into the layers of the intestines, causing pain.
“The vast majority of polyps will never be a problem for people’s health. However, there is a risk that the polyp will degenerate into cancer, which takes, on average, 10 years,” says Tulio Pfiffer, doctor-oncologist at Sírio Hospital -Libanês .
About 85 percent of colon cancers, he explains, arise from polyps, so it’s important to take precautions even in the absence of symptoms. “When people who have and produce polyps are identified, they enter a program to track down and remove these polyps, preventing them from developing into cancer.”
most common symptoms
The most common symptoms of colon cancer are bleeding detected in the stools, change in the size of the stool (too thin, for example), changes in the frequency of going to the toilet and constipation. Signs can also include abdominal pain, weight loss, and even vomiting in severe cases.
Most cancers start as polyps, benign lesions that can grow on the inside wall of the large intestine. To prevent cancer, one strategy is to remove polyps before they become malignant.
THE colonoscopy it is the main test to detect the existence of polyps. “There are tumor markers in the blood test, but they shouldn’t be a screening and diagnostic criterion,” Pfiffer explains. According to him, tumor markers serve a later function: to monitor the severity of the disease when the diagnosis has already been established.
Causes and identification
Colorectal cancer has a multifactorial origin. Having a 1st-degree relative who has previously had colorectal cancer increases the risk of developing the problem. “A proportion of cancers, 10% to 15%, may have a hereditary-germinal component,” explains Pfiffer. If so, people are born with genetic predispositions to develop cancer. “Prevention work for this population is much more intense and much earlier.”
In general, eating habits can also have a negative influence, such as diets with high consumption of red meatFoods ultra elaborateindustrialized (such as hams, salami, sausages and preserves) and poor in fruit, vegetables and fibers. smoke and alcoholism other risk factors are considered.
“Reduce the intake of red meat and the consumption of alcoholic beverages, lose weight, exercise”, indicates Arnaldo Urbano Ruiz, oncological surgeon at the Beneficência Portuguesa hospital in São Paulo. The main treatments are surgery (for the early stages), chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation therapy. Pele also underwent surgery to remove the tumor, but the spread of the disease was later verified.
When to do a colonoscopy
Based on your symptoms, a colonoscopy is ordered. A catheter with a microchamber is inserted into the anus to analyze the inner walls of the intestine. Suspicious tissue, such as polyps, may be removed for a subsequent biopsy, which will determine whether it is cancer or a benign tumor. If the test confirms colorectal cancer, other procedures are needed to see if the disease is still in its early stages or has already metastasized.
According to some doctors, this exam that analyzes the large intestine should be done from 45 years oldeven when there are no symptoms. The American Cancer Society began recommending colorectal cancer screening from age 45, after identifying an increase in cases among young people.
According to Arnaldo Urbano Ruiz, patients who develop the disease have changed their profile in recent years. “There has been a decrease in the age range. Before, we started monitoring asymptomatic patients aged 50. Now it starts with 45, he says.
In view of this, the doctor emphasizes that it is important for patients to have a colonoscopy every three to five years. Young people with a family history of colorectal cancer should see a doctor about the need and frequency of screening.
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Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
