Colon Cancer Risks — How I Found Out I Had Colon Cancer

Dr. Godwin Ofikwu
4 min readApr 27, 2022

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According to Dr. Godwin Ofikwu, despite having a high death rate, colorectal cancer is not always fatal. The truth is that one-third of patients die in the first five years after they get their diagnosis. Early detection is to blame for this drop. There is still a lot to think about when it comes to colon cancer, so it should never be ignored. The following are some of the risks that come with colon cancer. To learn more, keep reading. The following are just a few of the symptoms and things that can make you more likely to get it.

It is one of the main risks of colon cancer to get older. Age is also a risk factor for colon cancer. People who are African American or of Eastern European descent have more colon cancer than white people. Obesity is also linked to a higher risk of colon cancer, but this is not the only link. Regular exercise, on the other hand, can help protect against colon cancer. If you have any of these risk factors, it’s important to see your doctor as soon as possible. The colonoscopy may be something you want to do.

When people are 50, they should start getting colon cancer checks every few months. If your risk factors are higher, your doctor may want you to get more frequent tests or have an early colonoscopy. It’s not clear what causes most colon cancers. Most start when healthy cells in the colon start to change their DNA. These changes may lead to the growth of cancerous cells, which can be dangerous. The risk of colon cancer also rises with age, so screenings are more important now than they have been in the past.

Dr. Godwin Ofikwu explained that, racial background can also raise the risk of colon cancer, but this isn’t the only reason. African Americans and Ashkenazi Jews are the two groups most at risk. With a history of colon cancer in the family, people with a darker skin tone are more likely to get it than people who are white. If someone in your family has had colon cancer, you might want to get genetic counseling for yourself to learn more about your own chances of getting it. If you come from a group that has a high risk of colon cancer, you should talk to your doctor about when to start getting checked.

Early detection is the key to living, and colorectal cancer can be cured if it is found early. Detecting this disease as soon as possible is very important. Eating a healthy diet rich in fiber, low in red meat, and processed food will help you avoid this disease. Detection is also very important, because it is the only way to find this deadly disease. But many people choose to put off or avoid their colonoscopy until later stages, which is why it’s so important to have regular screenings. This is why it’s so important to get a colonoscopy every few years.

Taking aspirin every day does not raise your risk of getting colon cancer. Use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and don’t drink alcohol, both of which can make your pain worse. Aspirin, on the other hand, may help cut down on the risk of colorectal cancer. However, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may have a bigger effect on colon cancer than aspirin does, even though aspirin doesn’t. If you take aspirin every day, you will get ulcers and bleeding in your intestines. This is true for any drug.

People who eat a lot of fruits and vegetables may be less likely to get colorectal cancer. The American Cancer Society says that you should eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. It’s also good for people who don’t get enough vitamin D to have a high-fiber diet, like whole grains. The American Cancer Society says that regular exercise can help you avoid getting colorectal cancer. There is also the fact that smoking is bad for you, too.

Dr. Godwin Ofikwu revealed that, people who eat a lot of red meat and processed meat are more likely to get colon cancer. The World Cancer Research Fund says that people should eat less than 500 grams of red meat a week. In addition, the American Cancer Society says that people should eat very little or no red meat. It’s also important not to eat a lot of meat that has been cooked. Also, the World Cancer Research Fund says to avoid red meat and eat less processed meat. If you must eat red meat, make sure it’s lean.

There are other things that can cause colorectal cancer, like smoking and eating a poor diet. People who have diabetes, smoke, or are overweight are more likely to get the disease. It’s also possible to get cancer in your family if you have a history of it. In the words of the American Cancer Society, it is important to have regular colon cancer checks. It’s possible to get a colonoscopy as soon as you’re 45. If you have any health problems, though, your doctor may want you to get checked out earlier.

It has also been found that people who smoke cigarettes are more likely to get colon cancer if they have certain types of polyps. Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (CRC) is a condition in which you have a lot of polyps. In people who have this condition, the progression from adenoma to carcinoma seems to be faster. People who have hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCP) have short screening intervals, which range from one to three years. People who have this syndrome are also more likely to get multiple colorectal cancers.

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Dr. Godwin Ofikwu

Dr. Ofikwu’s desire to serve people began at a young age, and he immediately realized that being a surgeon would allow him to pursue that passion.