There is a risk of rectal cancer

As the cancer cells of rectal cancer rupture and lose blood, toxins are absorbed, which leads to anemia, fever, fatigue, weight loss, edema and other symptoms in patients. The most obvious harm caused by rectal cancer to patients is anemia and weight loss.

The intestinal cavity of the left rectum is relatively narrow, and the feces become very viscous and formed after passing through it. In addition, the cancer occurring in this part is invasive cancer. Since the intestinal cavity is annular and narrow, patients will experience intestinal obstruction earlier, and in severe cases, acute obstruction may occur.

The right rectum has a wide intestinal cavity, and the stool becomes very thin after passing through it. The rectum is rich in blood supply and lymph, and has a strong absorption capacity. Most cancer cells are soft cancers, which are prone to ulceration and necrosis, leading to bleeding and infection. Clinically, the main symptoms are poisoning, and in severe cases, intestinal obstruction may occur.

So how to prevent colorectal cancer?

1. Regular inspection

People at high risk of colorectal cancer, such as men over 40 years old, patients with familial multiple intestinal polyps, patients with ulcerative proctitis, patients with chronic schistosomiasis and those with a family history of colorectal cancer should have regular check-ups and be alert to the signs and early symptoms of colorectal cancer, such as changes in bowel habits, alternating diarrhea and constipation, bloody or black stools, and flatter and thinner stools.

2. Improve your eating habits

Change the habit of eating meat and high-protein foods as the staple food. Eat less high-fat foods, especially control the intake of animal fat. Arrange your daily diet reasonably, eat more fresh fruits, vegetables and other foods rich in carbohydrates and crude fiber, and appropriately increase the proportion of coarse grains and whole grains in the staple food, and avoid eating too fine or refined food.

3. Prevent and treat intestinal diseases

Actively prevent various polyps, chronic enteritis (including ulcerative proctitis), schistosomiasis, chronic dysentery, etc., and intestinal polyps should be treated early. There are five major categories of colorectal polyps, namely adenomatous polyps, inflammatory polyps, hamartomatous polyps, biochemical polyps and mucosal hypertrophy. Among them, adenomatous polyps are true tumor polyps and are precancerous lesions of rectal cancer. Therefore, when rectal adenomas are found, they should be removed at the benign adenoma stage and pathological examinations should be performed. If not treated early, most of them will develop into colorectal cancer. In addition, habitual constipation should be actively treated and attention should be paid to keeping bowel movements smooth.

4. Chemical drug prevention

The main drugs currently used to prevent rectal cancer are:

(1) Antioxidants

Their mechanism of action is to protect DNA from damage by free radicals. They include vitamins C and E, β2-carotene, folic acid, etc.

(2) Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

This class of drugs has been shown to inhibit the development of colorectal cancer.

(3) Other related drugs under study

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ligand, dimethyl sulfoxide (DFMO), calcium (direct bile acid), vitamin D, epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors, matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors, etc.

5. Exercise

Find an exercise method that suits you, strengthen your physical fitness, improve your immunity, relax yourself, relieve stress, and maintain a good attitude.