Guide To Colon Cancer Causes And Risk Factors

Certain Ethnicities

Individuals of certain ethnicities are at a higher risk of developing colon cancer than individuals of other ethnicities. Studies have revealed those of African American descent who live in the United States are more likely to develop colon cancer than Caucasians. Although African Americans in the United States have eighty percent of their genetic material in common with African Americans in Africa, there are substantial differences in the rate of colon cancer development between these populations.

In the United States, between fifty and sixty African Americans develop colon cancer out of every 100,000, where less than five out of every 100,000 in Africa develop colon cancer. It is thought that the higher incidence of colon cancer in African Americans in the United States is attributed to low colon cancer screening rates among this population. Lack of awareness and lack of medical access are both factors that may contribute to the low screening rates among African Americans.

Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

An individual affected by familial adenomatous polyposis may be at a higher risk of developing colon cancer than an individual who is not. Familial adenomatous polyposis is a genetic condition that causes an affected individual to develop hundreds of colon polyps. An adenomatous polyp is an abnormal growth or mass of healthy cells inside the intestinal tract. Familial adenomatous polyposis occurs in an individual when they have a mutation or alteration in the APC or MUTYH gene of their DNA that has been inherited from their parents.

The adenomatous polyps that grow inside of the intestinal tract should be treated with a surgical procedure to completely remove the polyps to decrease the risk of colon cancer development. Once familial adenomatous polyposis is diagnosed and adenomatous polyps are discovered in the intestines, yearly colonoscopy screening is recommended until a colectomy can be performed.