Colorectal cancer is challenging to diagnose due to the absence of pain in the early stages, but regular checkups can increase the chances of early discovery and boost survival rates, Taipei City Hospital Department of Enterology doctor Hsieh Wen-pin (謝文斌) said.
Chinese-language news Web site ET Today on Monday quoted Hsieh after Academia Sinica’s Chu Yun-han (朱雲漢) died aged 67 on Sunday due to colorectal cancer.
Colorectal cancer has been the most prevalent form of cancer in Taiwan for 15 consecutive years, with more than 17,000 diagnoses annually, ET Today reported, citing data from the Health Promotion Administration (HPA).
Colorectal cancer is difficult to diagnose and by the time symptoms become obvious, the cancer has progressed to the middle or terminal stage, Hsieh said.
The complex treatment process is a heavy burden for the patient and their family, he said.
Regular checkups can increase the chances of discovering colorectal cancer during its early stages and with proper treatment, the survival rate is above 90 percent, he said.
Undergoing fecal occult blood tests every one or two years correlates with decreased mortality rates, bringing down colorectal cancer deaths by 18 to 33 percent, he said, citing studies in Europe and the US.
Colorectal cancer is most often diagnosed in people aged 60 to 70, Taiwan Adventist Hospital Department of Proctology director Kang Jung-cheng (糠榮誠) told ET Today, adding that younger people who get the disease likely do so due to hereditary factors.
People often attribute bloody stool to hemorrhoids, Kang said, adding that if the blood is dark red, it is indicative of colorectal cancer, while bright red indicates hemorrhoids.
Fruit and vegetables in the diet, as well as regular exercise, can also decrease the chances of developing colorectal cancer, the HPA said.
The agency offers subsidies for people aged 50 to 74 to undergo a free immunochemical fecal occult blood test every two years, it said, urging those with a family history of colorectal cancer to undergo a complete colonoscopy.
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