TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Colon cancer most arise as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle. Chairman of the Central Indonesian Cancer Foundation, Prof. DR. dr. Aru Wisaksono Sudoyo, Sp.PD., suggested regular stool examinations during defecation as a way to detect the possibility of colon cancer.
“Get in the habit of peeking at the dirt, don’t let blood in the dirt get caught but don’t pay attention to it,” said Aru.
In western countries, this cancer usually occurs in people over 50 years old. However, in Indonesia bowel cancer Large size can occur in people who are younger, in their 40s. He recommends people in their 40s to have a colonoscopy to detect colon cancer.
“If there is no access, then we try to check the feces once a year to see if there is occult blood,” he explained.
Aru reminded the importance of early detection of colon cancer because it will be easier to treat when found sooner. Moreover, the development of tumors into cancer takes a relatively long time, between 5-15 years.
“So we must be able to detect it early so that life expectancy will be better than being caught at an advanced stage,” explained this senior staff member of the Hematology Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia.
He reminded to eat fibrous foods such as fruits and vegetables. Especially for fruit, he suggested consuming not only juice but also the pulp that is usually thrown away when making juice so that the fiber can be absorbed by the body.
Other fibrous foods such as jelly or pudding can also be an everyday choice. Tempe which contains probiotics is also recommended for intestinal health. Especially for drinks containing probiotics, he reminded them to look at the sugar content in them. If the sugar content is high, it is not recommended to consume too much.
Colon cancer used to not be counted in Indonesia, but now it has taken the fourth position in the country, following breast, cervical and lung cancer. This disease requires surgery as the main therapy that can completely overcome the cancer.
He explained that 60 percent of cancer problems can be solved by surgery. The higher the stage, the more difficult the treatment will be. It is also related to life expectancy. He says the same treatment when given to different patients can produce varying responses.
“Nowadays a new approach is emerging which is known as personalized medicine or individual treatment. One of these individual treatments is carried out by conducting an examination marker cancer. Individualized treatment will generally give better results in patients,” he explained.
Also read: Colon Cancer, Facts and Myths to Understand
– .
