7.4 Colon cancer Flashcards
What is the epidemiology of colon cancer?
Most >50, death rates rise with age but falling overall with time, mortality getting better with treatment
What are the risk factors for colon cancer?
Age Family history Personal history of CRC or adenomatous polyps IBD Diabetes mellitus Alcohol Obesity Acromegaly
What are the protective factors for colon cancer?
Physical activity DIet Fibre intake Resistant starch Folic acid Vitamin B6 Calcium Magnesium Garlic Fish
What are the protective drugs for colon cancer
Aspirin NSAIDs Statins Hormone replacement therapy Antioxidants (controversal)
What are the clinical features of colon cancer?
Abdominal pain Change in bowel habits Rectal bleeding Anaemia Weakness Weight loss
What are the features of right sided colon cancer?
Liquid stool
Iron deficiency anaemia without other symptoms
occult bleeding rather than obstruction
What are the features of left sided colon cancer?
formed stool abdominal pain change in bowel habits rectal bleeding if you have narrowing in sigmoid colon will get colicky lower abdominal pain
What are the symptoms of metastatic colon cancer?
Anorexia, vomiting, early satiety Fatigue Weight loss Abnormal liver tests Abdominal distension
does rectal or colon cancer more commonly have metastatic spread?
Colon
What are the different types of polyps and which are usually missed and why?
Adenomatous Hyperplastic Sessile serrated - usually missed as they are flat Inflammatory Hamartomatous
What is the implications for polyps and colon cancer?
The bigger the polyp the greater the risk of developing cancer
removing polyps can decrease the risk of colon cancer
When do you do the fecal occult blood test?
Only in those without symptoms
