Colon cancer is a legitimate concern for many Americans. There are a lot of risk factors associated with this condition, and one of these is a genetic predisposition. If someone in your family has suffered from colon cancer, you do have a higher risk of developing the condition.
Boca Care Surgical Associates provides a number of treatment options for colon cancer. Avraham Belizon, MD, FACS, FASCRS, wants to offer the best option for your individualized needs. But those with an increased risk of developing this condition — especially because of genetics — should especially be informed when it comes to prevention and treatment.
Colon cancer is all about risk. Some people will develop this condition even without any of these risk factors, but the more you have, the more likely you are to develop it. For people who have a number of these risk factors, it’s important to get tested in order to catch any problems early, as sometimes, colon cancer doesn’t cause symptoms.
If more than one of these risk factors affects you, it’s best to manage those you can, such as exercising more or cutting out alcohol and cigarettes. Unfortunately, genetics do affect your risk, and these can’t be altered.
Mutated cells can be passed on through families, which is how people develop colon cancer as a genetic disorder. However, this is usually a smaller portion of people who have the condition than some of the other risk factors. If you have a robust history of colon cancer in your family, though, it’s still very important to be concerned.
The most common types of genetic mutations that cause colon cancer are listed below.
Lynch syndrome is also known as HNPCC or hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer. This condition causes the cells that repair DNA to change, creating problems in the body, including, in some cases, the development of cancer.
MUTYH-associated polyposis (or MAP) creates a mutation in a gene that is supposed to check for errors in the DNA. It also helps to fix errors in dividing cells. If you inherit this condition, you have a higher risk of developing certain cancers but particularly colon cancer.
These syndromes are all results of a change in the APC gene, which is meant to regulate and suppress tumors. People who develop this genetic condition will often have colon polyps, some of which will inevitably develop cancer.
This is a similar condition that also sees a failure in a tumor-suppressor gene called STK11.
Cystic fibrosis is a condition that has seen major improvements over the years with more people living into older ages. However, this condition — which is genetic — also carries with it an increased risk of colon cancer as one ages.
If you are worried about your risk of developing colon cancer, you’ll first want to consider if the condition is common in your genetic line. If it is, it’s important to determine if you may have any of these conditions. Genetic tests can help you determine if you do.
As already stated, decreasing any risks that you can control is important. It can also help to eat healthy, drink plenty of water, and exercise regularly, although these are beneficial to your health at any time.
The best thing you can do is to discuss your risk factors with your provider and to determine the best plan for testing and any treatment you may need going forward. Remember, catching colon cancer early is almost always helpful in its successful treatment.
Allow us to help you find your peace of mind and to determine how great your risk for developing colon cancer might be. To make an appointment at our Boca Raton, Florida, office, just call 561-395-2626. You can also book an appointment online at your convenience.
