Causes of Colon Cancer

Some epidemiological studies on colon cancer have shown that social development, lifestyle and dietary structure are closely related to colon cancer, and there are phenomena suggesting that there may be differences in environmental and genetic factors affecting the incidence of colon cancer in different parts and age groups. Clinically, it has been found that certain factors may greatly increase the risk of developing the disease. What are the causes of colon cancer?

1. Age of onset: most patients develop the disease after the age of 50.
2. Family history: If a person's first-degree relatives, such as parents, have had colorectal cancer, his risk of developing the disease in his lifetime is 8 times higher than that of the general population. About a quarter of new patients have a family history of colorectal cancer.
3. History of colon disease: Certain colon diseases such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis may increase the chance of developing colorectal cancer. Their risk of colon cancer is 30 times that of ordinary people.
4. Polyps: Most colorectal cancers develop from small precancerous lesions, which are called polyps. Among them, villous adenomatous polyps are more likely to develop into cancer, with a malignant chance of about 25%; the malignant rate of tubular adenomatous polyps is 1-5%.
5. Genetic characteristics: Some familial tumor syndromes, such as hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer, can significantly increase the chance of developing colorectal cancer, and the onset time is younger.