Colon Cancer Risk Factors

There are several known colon cancer risk factors which increase the risk of developing colon cancer. Risk factors are things that statistically increase one's chance of developing a form of cancer in the future. Some of these may be non-modifiable factors, such as age and gender, while others can be changed or avoided, such as smoking or dietary factors.

While risk factors cannot 100% pedict who will develop cancer, and who will not, they do help to identify individuals who are at greatest risk. This can help both in prevention, by changing risk factors which can be modified, and in screening for the cancer to diagnose it early.

There are several known colon cancer risk factors. These are not direct causes of colon cancer per se, but rather are associated with the underlying causes in some way which increases one's risk of this cancer.

Colon Cancer Risk Factors

Family History: While most colon cancer develops in people who do not have a family history of colon cancer, some cancers may be related to genetics and family history. This is particularly true if multiple people in your family have suffered from colon cancer and if colon cancer presented at a younger age in family members. Additionally, there are some rare familial disorders that are highly associated with increased risk for colon cancer, such as familial polyposis.

Age: One of the biggest risk factors for colon cancer, as with many cancers, is advancing age. As we get older, we acquire more and more mutations in many of our cells. While many of these cells may never go on to develop cancer, some may be causes of colon cancer or other cancers. Therefore, the rate of colon cancer is greater as we get older.

Diet: Another colon cancer cause and risk factor is a diet high in fat. The breakdown of fat is thought to lead to the formation of cancer-causing compounds. On the other hand, a diet high in vegetables and fiber help to rid the colon of these toxic chemicals and probably reduce the risk of developing cancer somewhat.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Inflammatory diseases of the bowel, such as Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease, lead to chronic inflammation and injury to the wall of the intestine. In the large intestine this chronic injury increase the risk for development of colon cancer. While this is not one of the common causes of colon cancer in the general public, it is certainly important in those individuals with a history of these diseases.

Others: There are other factors which may influence your risk for colon cancer. For example, alcohol, a history of diabetes, environmental factors, and smoking have all shown links to colon cancer in various studies, although there is some controversy about how much some of these affect the overall risk for cancer.