The doctor Lisandro Pereyra warns that the colon cancer It is one of those that generate the most deaths, and many times it is due to lack of studies and knowledge. “Only 29% of Argentines at risk age did the corresponding study by age,” he said in Modo Fontevecchiaby Net TV and Radio Perfil (FM 101.9).
How is this new application that allows to prevent and evaluate the risks of colon cancer?
He colon cancer It is one of the most deadly. In Argentina more than 20 people die every dayand in the world almost one million people per year, for a cancer that is considered one of the most easily preventable.
We have been working for a long time, from the societies and with a group of doctors, how to improve knowledge and education about this. Most people die from cancer because you don’t know you are at riskfor not having the knowledge and education of this, for not to do the corresponding checks.
In the national survey of risk factors in Argentina, it was shown that only 29% of Argentines at risk age, the corresponding study by age was carried out. That was where we made the decision to start working on tools that improve knowledge.
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What we did were two tools, one for the doctorsof any specialty, to help them, through questions to the patient, for the algorithms to determine what type of risk they have, if it is up to them to start with the studies, what type of studies correspond.
Once the studies are done, the doctor can enter all the data, and will tell you when it is time to continue.
But also, a year ago, we launched a tool for the people. To empower the people of our country, and that they may have the knowledge of How to prevent and share it with family.
This tool is called chequeatucolon.com.ar, it is a page where a person can consult the characteristics of colon cancer, how polyps originate, what is this wart that appears previously, and has two intelligent calculators, in which the patient you can enter your age, family history and symptoms and it will determine if you have any worrisome symptoms that you should check out ASAP, and if you don’t, it will tell you what your risk is and when is it time to start with studies.
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there is also a prevention section, where habits can be checked and behaviors can be modified to lower the risk of developing cancer. That’s kind of the general tool that we launched for this campaign.
Does all this have to do with having video colonoscopies, which used to be after the age of 50 and are now done previously?
Its not that easy. The colonoscopy is one more method, but there are others, for example the one that analyzes the fecal occult blood.
It is a very validated method, cheap, which is quite simple. It is used in Spain and England. The fecal matter is taken to a laboratory, and with a kit it is possible to verify if there are particles that correspond to a polyp. We can also do this occult blood test, but the study depends a lot on our riskif we have relatives with cancer, if we have symptoms, among other things.
It’s not like everyone has to start at age 50, either. There is 30% of the population that, because they have a family member with colon cancer or perhaps another type of cancer, it behooves you to start earlier.
Colon cancer has a 90% chance of being cured if detected early.
It’s a matter of minimizing risk. See that there are no symptoms that should not be consulted today, see if we are candidates for a cheaper occult blood study, or if we have to do a colonoscopy. At what age should we start, if we have a genetic risk, and also change our day-to-day habits.
It’s not that easy. All of these algorithms take time, and the world often fails to stratify the population like this, which is why this idea came up.
How often should video colonoscopy be done? At what age should someone without a history of risk start?
Who does not have any family member with cancer, the patient enters what is called “low risk”. But you have to consult that you do not have any symptoms. That there is no bleeding in the stool, that he does not have low red blood cells in his clinical analysis. There is a lot of symptoms you have to know that we don’t have them.
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For patients classified as “Low risk” they are recommended to start their studies at the age of 50. Lately, in places like the United States, they lowered the age to 45, because one database showed a 9% increase in colon cancers in people under 50.
Although that database has some biases. It was a sample in an area near Mississippi, where there are many other things that may increase the risk of colon cancer. Obese patients, black people, who are more prone, among other things.
In Argentina we do not have the data that this risk has increased. But since we saw that only 29% are studying, we are carrying out this campaign so that young people who as soon as you have a symptom, or if you have a family history, consult.
FM JL
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