The explanation of the experts: «Colon-rectal carcinomas develop from adenomas or polyps that take many years to become malignant. With the Sof examination they can be discovered and eliminated before they turn into cancer»
“I face this match with a smile on my face, lots of optimism and joie de vivre, surrounded by the love of my family and friends.” So Skin
one of the undisputed symbols of football, announced in September 2021 on social media the operation he was undergoing to remove a colon cancer. In January of this year, the news of the presence of metastases in various organs spread and in November the Brazilian media raised the alarm again: the 82-year-old champion was hospitalized in complicated clinical conditions in the palliative care department of the Albert Einstein hospital of San Paolo, while he tried to reassure everyone (“I am strong, I have faith in God, the messages give me energy” he wrote in a message at the beginning of December). The entire world of football sent him messages of affection and encouragement, while the World Cup was taking place in Qatar.
One of the most common and lethal cancers
However, it was clear how complicated the situation was: the doctors had suspended the chemotherapy, become too heavy to bear for O Rei’s already sorely tried physique, and started that set of treatments aimed at incurable patients in order to improve their quality of life by reducing the level of suffering and pain, precisely palliative care. Thanks to the new therapies that have arrived in recent years, the survival of patients with advanced colorectal cancer (with metastases, as in the case of Pelé) has more than doubled compared to twenty years ago and today reaches an average of 30 months, but this cancer remains one of the most widespread and lethal worldwide. With over 43,700 new cases registered every year, it is the second most frequent type of cancer in our country and is also the second in the little sought-after ranking of those that cause the most deaths (approximately 19 thousand per year). However, mortality in Italy is declining – he underlines Giordano Berettadirector of Medical Oncology in time.news and president of the Aiom Foundation (Italian Association of Medical Oncology) —. Five-year survival after diagnosis is now around 65% and has progressively improved over the years, both thanks to the national screening program for early diagnosis with the search for occult blood in the faeces (Sof test), and to the important advances in therapies”.
The test that saves life
The Sof test is offered by our Health Service to all citizens between 50 and 70 years old who receive, every two years, a letter from their Local Health Authority with an invitation to go to the nearest pharmacy to collect a small container in which to collect a stool sample, to then return it and receive the letter with the report at home in the over a couple of weeks. In the event that traces of blood are found, it is necessary to carry out further investigations, with a colonoscopy. «Colon-rectal cancers develop from adenomas (or polyps) which take years, on average about ten, to transform into malignant forms – he explains Carmine Pinto, Director of Medical Oncology at the AUSL-IRCCS of Reggio Emilia —. It is in this time window that screening with the Sof allows for an early diagnosis and eliminate intestinal polyps before they have acquired dangerous characteristics and evolve into a malignant tumor. It’s an exam that can save lives, but half of Italians don’t take the opportunity and throw the invitation letter in the waste bin». Yet the numbers speak for themselves: nine out of ten cases could be avoided if everyone submitted to checks.
Symptoms and treatments
«Prevention is even more important when you consider that this tumor often does not show particular symptoms, at least in its early stages – recalls Giordano Beretta -. In particular, especially after the age of 50, it is advisable to report to the doctor: presence of bright red blood (sometimes mixed with mucus) in the stoolsense of incomplete evacuation, defecation in several short periods, weight loss with no obvious cause, sense of exhaustion, fever, especially in the evening hours». How is colon cancer treated today? Whenever possible, if the disease is discovered in an early stage, it is only done surgically by removing only the section of intestine affected by the tumor and trying to spare the patients the colostomy (i.e. the bag for collecting feces) – replies Beretta -. If necessary, then, we can use radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or several new drugs before or after the operation, to reduce the risk of metastases or to keep a progressing neoplasm under control as much as possible”.
Who risks the most
Overweight, obesity, poor diet and sedentary lifestyle are the main suspects. In particular dietary factors such as the consumption of red meats and sausagesrefined flours and sugars and the consumption of salted, preserved or smoked foods increase the risk of getting sick, such as excessive consumption of alcoholic beveragessugary drinks and the smoke. The odds also increase for those who have many extra pounds and for those who do little physical activity. “Then there are individuals at high risk because they carry a DNA alteration (genes MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS6 and APC), which exposes them to a greater risk of neoplasms than arise at a young age and they affect several generations of a family – concludes Pinto -. If this alteration is demonstrated in a patient with colorectal cancer, it is necessary to search for it in first-degree family members and proceed with a genetic counseling process».
December 29, 2022 (change December 29, 2022 | 21:04)
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