Risk Factors For Developing  Colorectal Cancer

Age. The most important risk factor for developing colorectal cancer is age. That is why the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) revised guidelines recommend that men and women with no other risk factors start screening for it beginning at age 50.

Environment. The cause of colon cancer is unknown. But since the incidence of the disease is much greater in industrialized countries, environmental factors, including eating habits, may contribute its development. Many experts suspect that the United States has one of the highest rates of colon cancer in the world because of its population’s appetite for fatty, low-fiber food.

Family History. People with a personal or family history of certain cancers or growths in the colon (polyps) or chronic inflammatory bowel diseases have a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer. Your doctor may recommend screening for colorectal cancer earlier or more frequently than usual if you have any of the following factors:

*A personal or family history of colon cancer. The risk is greater if the cancer occurred in close relatives (parents, children, or siblings) before the age of 55. About 10 to 15 percent of colon cancer cases are inherited.

*A personal history of colon polyps or a close relative with multiple colon polyps (familial polyposis). A colon polyp is a growth on the inside wall of the colon and though most of these growths do not turn into cancer, some do if they grow. Doctors believe most colon cancers begin as polyps.

*A history of inflammatory bowel disease, such as chronic ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

*A history of breast, ovarian, or endometrial cancer may also increase the risk of colorectal cancer.