PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. — March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s a good time to learn about risk factors to be proactive.
Dr. Shahnaz Sultan said ways to reduce the risk include avoiding smoking, alcohol, and ultra-processed foods.
“Food products that are industrially produced and processed ... tend to be high in sugar, high in lipids, high in salt, and nutrient poor,” Sultan said.
Increasing physical activity and having a diet rich in fruits and vegetables also helps.
“Home-cooked meals are an easy way to minimize the intake of ultra-processed foods because you can control what ingredients you are putting into your food and what ingredients you are putting into your body.” Sultan said.
Researchers are trying to figure out why there is an increasing number of young people developing colorectal cancer.
“We have been really focused on trying to understand what causes colorectal cancer for a number of decades,” Sultan said.
Screening saves lives. Average-risk adults should start screening for colorectal cancer at 45. Early staging on diagnosis can result in five-year survival rates as high as 90%.
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PEMBROKE PARK, Fla.
