Pittwater Life November 2018 Issue

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Health & Wellbeing How small changes can make a big impact on your bowel cancer risk Health & Wellbeing While smoking, being overweight and drinking too much are known risk factors for bowel cancer, new Australian research has revealed how the combination of all three can be devastating… especially in men. A study involving 370,000 Australians has found current rates of smoking, overweight and obesity and excessive alcohol consumption could lead to 45,000 cases of bowel cancer over the next 10 years. “Combined, these factors will be responsible for one in four future bowel cancers – even more so for men (37 per cent of bowel cancers) than women (13 per cent),” said study leader, Associate Professor Claire Vajdic, Head of the Cancer Epidemiology Research Unit at UNSW’s Centre for Big Data Research in Health. Meanwhile local specialist Dr Stuart Pincott (pictured) said early detection, being aware of signs and symptoms, which may indicate a problem, and talking to your GP were vital in improving survival from bowel cancer. The colorectal surgeon, who operates at Dee Why Endoscopy Unit which offers open access Endoscopy/Colonoscopy, said some of the early signs of bowel cancer included bleeding from the bowel, loss of weight, abdominal pain, change in bowel habit or unexplained tiredness. “It is important if you notice these symptoms that you should feel comfortable to report them to your family doctor,” Dr Pincott said. “There are many different causes for these symptoms, most of which are not serious… your doctor will make a thorough assessment and advise of further investigations or treatments.” Associate Professor Vajdic said that if people adopted a healthy lifestyle and changed their behaviours accordingly, a large proportion of the anticipated future burden identified in the team’s research could be avoided. The research findings were the first to identify that more bowel cancers were caused by overweight or obesity and excessive alcohol consumption in men than in women, A/Professor Vajdic said. “Hormones and differences in body fat distribution, particularly excessive fat around the stomach, likely contribute to the higher body fatnessrelated risk in men. We also know that men drink more alcohol than women, which increases their bowel cancer risk,” she said. The researchers also found an interesting interplay between smoking and alcohol: the bowel cancer burden attributable to smoking was significantly exacerbated by excessive alcohol consumption and vice-versa. “This means that the future bowel cancer burden would be markedly lower if current and former smokers did not drink excessive alcohol,” A/ Professor Vajdic said. The study findings make a case to support everybody – but men in particular – to achieve and maintain a healthy weight to prevent bowel cancer. And the results also sug- 42 NOVEMBER <strong>2018</strong> The Local Voice Since 1991
gest more resources should go into encouraging people to use the free bowel cancer test sent in the mail to all Australians over 50, through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. The simple test can detect bowel cancer in its earliest stages, often before there are any symptoms. Research collaborator, Julie Marker, has survived bowel cancer three times over the past 17 years “Any action you can take to prevent or detect bowel cancer early might save you from the battle I’ve had,” she said. “I’d encourage men and women – but especially men – to adopt a healthy lifestyle and participate in bowel cancer screening to reduce their risk.” “GPs and other health professionals should target prevention and screening advice to their patients, using insights from this research.” Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in Australia and around 80 Australians die from the disease every week. Dr Pincott added that while bowel cancer was a very common disease, if caught early, up to 90 per cent of bowel cancers could be successfully treated. “The best way to detect bowel cancer is by colonoscopy – a common day surgery procedure that examines the entire lining of the large bowel and can detect cancers before symptoms have even Get growing for Decembeard Registrations are now open for Decembeard an event hosted by Bowel Cancer Australia which encourages men to grow a beard or some chin stubble in the final month of the year to raise awareness and funds for bowel cancer. More info at bowelcanceraustralia.org. developed,” he said. Performed by specialist surgeons and gastroenterologists while the patient is asleep under a light anaesthetic, the procedure takes about 20 minutes. “Colonoscopy can detect many different disease processes such as polyps, cancer, diverticular disease, haemorrhoids and inflammatory bowel disease and during the procedure the doctor can take biopsies of any abnormalities, remove polyps or treat haemorrhoids,” Dr Pincott said. “Colonoscopy is also recommended for screening for bowel cancer in people who have a positive test from the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. “It is also commonly advised for people at increased risk for bowel cancer due to a family history of polyps, bowel cancers or when families are affected by certain rare genetic syndromes.” – Lisa Offord Health & Wellbeing The Local Voice Since 1991 NOVEMBER <strong>2018</strong> 43
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Pittwater Life November 2018 Issue

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