By Belinda Christensen
From PHN Issue 50, Summer/Fall 2022
Dear Prison Health News,
Thank you for having me on your mailing list. By the way, do you know anything about colon cancer? My father died of it in July of 1999, and one of my brothers died of it in 2013, so I know it runs in my family. I would highly appreciate learning more about it, if you can.
— Gabriel Fuentes, California
Dear Mr. Fuentes,
Thank you for your letter, and for the wonderful drawing. I’m very sorry to hear that your father and brother passed away from colon cancer. I’ve provided some information below about screening and prevention from the American Cancer Society and the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, two organizations that work to educate people about cancer prevention and treatment.
The most important step to prevent colon cancer is to get a screening. A screening is a way of telling whether a disease like cancer is starting to form in someone’s body before they have any symptoms. There are a few different kinds of screenings for colon cancer, and the recommendation from the CDC is that people should get a screening every year or more starting at age 45. Sometimes (though not always!) people are at higher risk for colon cancer if they have a family history of colon cancer (in other words, they have close family members, like a parent or sibling, who had colon cancer). It’s recommended for people with a family history of colon cancer to get a colonoscopy 10 years before the age their family member was when they were diagnosed. From the information in your letter, it sounds like you have a family history of colon cancer.
I understand that preventive care like cancer screenings can often be difficult for people living in prison to get. I’ve included with this letter some information about advocating for yourself if you’re not getting the healthcare you need. A lot of the information relates to people who already have a medical condition, but you may find some of it helpful in advocating to get a colon cancer screening. Here is some information from the American Cancer Society that you can show the doctor or nurse at your facility if you want to advocate to get a screening. “Adenomatous polyps” is a kind of polyp, which is a lump inside someone’s colon or rectum that can turn into cancer. If you’re able to make a toll-free phone call, you can call the American Cancer Society for more information and help at 800.227.2345.
“Most colorectal cancers are found in people without a family history of colorectal cancer. Still, as many as 1 in 3 people who develop colorectal cancer have other family members who have had it. People with a history of colorectal cancer in a first-degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) are at increased risk. The risk is even higher if that relative was diagnosed with cancer when they were younger than 50, or if 10 more than one first-degree relative is affected. The reasons for the increased risk are not clear in all cases. Cancers can ‘run in the family’ because of inherited genes, shared environmental factors, or some combination of these. Having family members who have had adenomatous polyps is also linked to a higher risk of colon cancer. (Adenomatous polyps are the kind of polyps that can become cancer.) If you have a family history of adenomatous polyps or colorectal cancer, talk with your doctor about the possible need to start screening before age 45. If you’ve had adenomatous polyps or colorectal cancer, it’s important to tell your close relatives so that they can pass along that information to their doctors and start screening at the right age.”
I also want to show you some information from the Colorectal Cancer Alliance about other things you can do to stay healthy and prevent cancer:
- Try to Eat Well
Consistent evidence shows diets high in vegetables, fruits, and other plant foods reduce risk for many diseases, including colorectal cancer. In addition to these foods containing lots of dietary fiber and nutrients, plant foods are good sources of substances called phytochemicals, which help protect cells in the body from damage that can lead to cancer. Plant foods can also help us maintain a healthy weight—also important in reducing risk of colorectal cancer—because many are lower in calories.
Diets high in red and processed meats have also been linked to colorectal cancer. Red meats include any meat that is red when raw, like beef, pork, or lamb. Try to keep your red meat intake to 18 ounces (cooked) per week or less. Processed meats, on the other hand, should be avoided if possible. Processed meats include hot dogs, ham, bacon, and sausages, and cancer risk increases even with low consumption.
- Get Your Exercise
Research consistently shows adults who increase their physical activity—in intensity, duration, or frequency—can reduce their risk of developing colorectal cancer by 30% to 40%. It’s estimated that 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day is needed to protect against colorectal cancer. Exercise also helps you to maintain a healthy body weight, which reduces your risk for colorectal cancer. In fact, studies show people who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop colon polyps, a possible precursor to cancer, and higher weights are associated with higher polyp risk.
- Avoid Cigarettes
Long-term cigarette smoking is also associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer. The longer a person smokes, the greater the risk.
Fresh fruits and vegetables might be hard to get, but other foods that come from plants, like beans, have a lot of fiber and nutrients too and can help support colon health. If you smoke, then quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for pretty much every aspect of your health, not just your risk for colon cancer.
Prison Health News 