Prevention of Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer is a common cancer type in Hong Kong with 2,000 new cases each year. It results from the abnormal growth of the cells of the colon and rectum and is commonly found in those aged over 50, especially among men. Colorectal cancer is often asymptomatic at an early stage. Common symptoms include change in bowel habit, e.g. diarrhoea, constipation, blood or copious mucus in stool, abdominal pain and weight loss, etc. But when such symptoms appear, the cancer may already be big in size or have started to spread around, thus the most effective way for preventing colon cancer is to have regular health check after the age of 50.
Colorectal cancer is associated with a diet high in red and processed meat. To prevent colorectal cancer, it is recommended to adopt primary preventive measures like decreasing consumption of red and processed meat, and increasing intake of dietary fibre (e.g. fibre from fruits and vegetables).