- Julia Granchi
- From BBC News Brazil in Sao Paulo
7 hours ago
Credit, Wagner Meier/Getty Images
caption,
Preta Gil, daughter of musician Gilberto Gil, is a singer and 48 years old
Singer Preta Gil, 48, shared on social media that she was diagnosed with colon cancer, also known as colon cancer, after tests showed the presence of an adenocarcinoma tumor in the last part of the organ.
Adenocarcinoma is the type of malignant tumor that caused the singer’s colon cancer. It develops into polyps (abnormal growths of tissue in regions such as the intestines) which, although considered benign, can change over the years and become cancerous if not detected and treated early.
In the specific case of colon tumors, doctors state that many develop asymptomatically, underscoring the importance of screening tests (read below).
Risk factors for colorectal cancer
According to INCA (National Cancer Institute), colorectal cancer, also known as colon or colon cancer, is the second most common in the digestive system and the third most common cancer in Brazil, killing the most. Other famous figures such as singer Simony and former players Pelé and Roberto Dinamite also suffered from the disease.
It is estimated that more than 40,000 new cases emerge in the country each year.
The disease affects both sexes, usually from the age of 45, but more commonly in the 6070 age range. Among the risk factors, the following stand out:
Unhealthy eating habits
Smoking and high consumption of alcoholic beverages;
family history of colon, ovarian, uterine and/or breast cancer;
Previous illnesses such as chronic ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and hereditary bowel diseases.
signs of colon cancer
Oncological surgeon and President of the SBCO (Brazilian Society of Oncological Surgery), Héber Salvador, explains that colorectal cancer can develop silently and without symptoms for a period of time. Detection often comes through screening tests.
“For symptomfree people, a colonoscopy is essential from the age of 45 or (from) 35 years of age if cancer runs in the family possible to remove polyps, which are lesions trapped in the intestinal wall that could develop into cancer”, he explains.
It’s also important to look out for some symptoms:
Change in bowel habits such as diarrhea, constipation or narrowing of the stool that lasts for a few days;
No relief even after voiding, it appears that not all stool contents have been excreted (a particularly suggestive symptom in rectal cancer);
rectal bleeding (the blood is usually very red and shiny);
Presence of blood in the stool, making it dark brown or black;
colic or abdominal pain;
feeling of tiredness and weakness; and
Weight loss for no apparent reason
Early diagnosis helps save lives
“The first step in diagnosing colorectal cancer is to follow the patient’s medical history to identify possible risk factors. The physical examination may include palpation of the abdomen to look for abnormalities such as masses or enlarged organs,” emphasizes Renata D’ Alpino, oncologist and cohead of the Gastrointestinal Tumors Section at Grupo Oncoclínicas.
After that, the doctor may order a colonoscopy, the most commonly used screening test, which doctor Ricardo Viebig believes changed the history of colon cancer.
“The research became more accessible, and people began to understand the importance of doing it from the age of 45. The detection and removal of precancerous lesions (adenomas) and tumor lesions of reduced size has increased the healing rate, greatly avoiding aggressive surgery or debilitating treatments,” explains Viebig, the technical director of the neurogastroenterological digestive motility core at the IGESP Hospital (Institute of Gastroenterology of São Paulo) .
Despite the advances, Renata D’Alpino says there are many taboos surrounding colorectal cancer screening, which contributes to low adherence to early screening for the disease, even among those who are part of the higherrisk group.
“Often the tumor is only discovered later, with more serious symptoms such as anemia, constipation or diarrhea with no apparent cause, weakness, bloating and abdominal cramps and weight loss. Although blood in the stool is a first clue when something is wrong, many people tend to attribute the event to other conventional causes, such as hemorrhoids, and end up putting off seeking medical advice and having specific tests done.
Other investigations that support the diagnosis and treatment are the dosage of specific antibodies (markers), tomography, magnetic resonance and the PET scan (special tomography for tumors).
treatment
The need for rapid diagnosis is also related to the aggressiveness of colorectal tumors.
With an early diagnosis, the chances of recovery are significantly higher and the treatment easier, since the tumor is still in an early stage.
“These tumors are usually aggressive and, if left untreated, spread not only locally but also via the lymphatic and circulatory systems. At this stage, in addition to the peritoneum, they also produce distant lesions, mainly in the liver and brain, reducing the patient’s life expectancy,” he concludes.
The first step in the treatment of colorectal cancer is usually oncological surgery. In some cases, surgery may be followed by radiation and chemotherapy.
It is worth remembering that cancer is a complex disease that may require different approaches on a casebycase basis. Therefore, the entire definition of treatment, as well as therapeutic approaches and the type of surgery performed, depends on the time of detection of the disease.