Colorectal cancer is cancer that develops from the cells of the large intestine. It is also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer or rectal cancer.
According to the latest reports from the Cancer Registry, it is the most common cancer in Singapore among men and the second most common cancer among women. It is not just an “old person” disease and there have been studies that reported an increased incidence among Gen X and Millennials.
Some of the symptoms of colorectal cancer include a change in bowel habits such as diarrhoea or constipation, blood in stools, abdominal pain as well as unexplained fatigue.
Colorectal cancer, if detected early enough can simply be treated with just surgery. Depending on the stage of the cancer, the patient may need to undergo chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy in order to help the patient be cancer free and live a normal life.
The Straits Times also has a nice, easy to understand segment on colorectal cancer, as well as news reports surrounding the disease while both the National Cancer Center Singapore (NCCS) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) have very detailed patient guides on the disease.
If you suspect that either yourself or your loved ones have colorectal cancer, please do go consult a doctor and not ignore your symptoms. You’re never too young to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and trust me, cancer is not necessarily a death sentence. (: