Colon cancer, which is among the preventable cancers, seems to regress a little, thanks to screening programs. Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital Gastroenterology Specialist Prof. Cengiz Pata stated that colon cancer ranks from the 2nd to the 3rd place among the most common cancers in the USA and that this development reveals the importance of regular follow-up and screening programs of risky groups. He says that new developments, especially in recent years, have also caused significant changes in this regard.
Colon cancer is one of the cancers that screening programs save lives. Especially for those with a family history of cancer. While the studies on the subject continue, the information gained is changing the approach to colon cancer Prof. Cengiz Pata underlines that genetic tests and new generation diagnostic technology are extremely important for both patients and physicians.
Prof. Cengiz Pata, who said that with the onset of colon cancer more frequent and at younger ages, today’s standard screening has dropped from 50 to 45 years old, and gives the following information: “Colon cancer has started to be seen more frequently even at the ages of 30-35 compared to the past. Standard screening was every 10 years after age of 50. More specific screening programs were available for high risk groups. But today this has also changed. I have to say that there are such types of cancer that no matter how much we scan, cancer can develop in the normal bowel 2 years later. (approximately 2-5%), In this case, having regular colonoscopy follow-ups does not mean that you will definitely not get cancer. However, regular screening should still be done in high risk groups. ”
Colon cancer is one of the cancers in which heredity is effective. For this reason, people with colon cancer in their first degree relatives are considered in high-risk group. Stating that there are new approaches for people in this group, Prof. Cengiz Pata said, “In colon cancer, as in many cancers today, the risk of the person can be determined with genetic consultancy and screening programs can be planned accordingly. There are nearly 30 genes identified for colon cancer. Separating them according to the differences between them is a process that requires genetic expertise. These services have become very widespread abroad and are just beginning to be used in our country ”.
Saying that genetic counseling has opened a very important page in colon cancer, Prof. Cengiz Pata said, “Lynch Syndrome, which constitutes approximately 1 percent of colon cancers, is a good example in this regard. We take such risky individuals who have colon cancer among their first-degree relatives for two generations below the age of 40, follow them up with colonoscopy every 2 years, starting 10 years before the youngest case. The new approach for these cases is; by detecting the disease gene in those who are sick and scanning those at risk, it can be determined whether this gene is present. We take people who do not carry a gene into standard screening programs. Therefore, it is beneficial for people who have colon cancer in their first degree relatives to receive genetic counseling from adulthood without age restriction. Important developments are taking place in our country in this regard. ” he says.
Prof Cengiz Pata explains that it is not necessary to increase the frequency of screening programs of people who do not fit the genetic risk group as a result of genetic counseling, and gives the following information on the matter: “We are reducing the screening frequency from 10 to 5 years for those who are at high risk. However, for example, if the 30-year-old sibling of the person is diagnosed with bowel cancer, this person should have a colonoscopy every 10 years from the age of 20. However, if the cancer gene is not detected after genetic counseling, it cannot be returned to the normal screening procedure. In other words, colonoscopy can be started at the age of 45, not 20. “
Yeditepe University Hospital Gastroenterology Specialist Prof Cengiz Pata, reminding that there have been innovations in this regard in addition to the fecal occult blood test used in the diagnosis of colon cancer; Tests based on measuring protein in the stool are very new. For this reason, he says that it has not been widely used yet, but will take its place in diagnosis in the coming years. Another innovation in diagnostic methods is “Video Capsule Colonoscopy”. Although it is not a difficult procedure, some people may hesitate to have a colonoscopy. At this point, capsule colonoscopy provides great convenience. The patient swallows this special device, which is about the size of a bean grain and contains two cameras. The images obtained by the camera are transferred to a mobile phone-sized computer in your waist during the travel of the capsule in the intestines, the development of polyps in the intestines or the presence of a different disease can be easily seen by watching the video images created by the computer in your waist. The diagnostic accuracy of the new generation capsules is approximately 90-95 percent. “
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