Colon cancer can be inherited

MANILA, Philippines – A noted oncologist yesterday advised the children of parents who have colon cancer to undergo stool examination and colonoscopy, a screening tool for colon cancer, if they are above 40 years old, as the illness has “familial tendency.”

“Colon cancer has a genetic predisposition. Family history is a major risk factor. If you have a parent who has colon cancer, it is advisable for you to undergo stool examination and colonoscopy if you are above 40 years old. It is (hereditary) downward,” said Dr. Antonio Villalon, former president of the Philippine Society of Medical Oncologists and former board member of the Philippine Cancer Society (PCS).

Colon cancer came to the consciousness of Filipinos the other day when Sen. Benigno Aquino III and his sister, actress Kris Aquino, announced that their mother, former President Corazon Aquino, is suffering from colon cancer.

But Villalon clarified that if a person has colon cancer, it does not necessarily mean that his children would also develop cancer in the colon or in the large intestine.

“It may be in the lungs and other parts. It’s not necessarily in the colon,” he said.

The siblings of colon cancer patients, however, do not have to go through colonoscopy procedures unless their parents had colon cancer.

Villalon added that early cancer of the colon is curable by surgery but in advanced cases, treatment like chemotherapy is applied only to control the spread of cancer cells, prolong the life of the patient and ensure a comfortable life.

In the website of the MayoClinic.com, colon cancer is described as the “cancer of the large intestine (colon), the lower part of your digestive system.” Rectal cancer, on the other hand, is cancer of the last 6 inches of the colon.

“Together, they’re often referred to as colorectal cancers. About 112,000 people are diagnosed with colon cancer annually, and about 41,000 new cases of rectal cancer are diagnosed each year,” the website said, citing records of the American Cancer Society.

Most cases of colon cancer begin as small, noncancerous (benign) clumps of cells called adenomatous polyps. But over time, some of these polyps become cancers.

“Polyps may be small and produce few, if any, symptoms. Regular screening can help prevent colon cancer by identifying polyps before they become cancerous. If signs and symptoms of colon cancer do appear, they may include changes in bowel habits, blood in your stool, persistent cramping, gas or abdominal pain,” the website further shows.

A survey conducted by the PCS showed that colorectal cancer ranks third among cancer cases. In 2005, there were some 8,500 new colon cancer cases.

“In the Philippines, the overall median survival for colon cancer is 49 months, five-year survival rate is 47.72 percent and 10 year-survival is 32.38 percent,” the survey stated.