Bowel cancer that killed Preta Gil is the 3rd most common in the country

Cases of bowel cancer, such as the one that killed singer and businesswoman Preta Gil , usually only show symptoms in advanced stages, making treatment more difficult and reducing the chances of a cure. Therefore, people with risk factors should begin screening before age 50, the recommended age for the general population.

"When a patient has a family member diagnosed with cancer, this age limit becomes increasingly lower, becoming more specific and individualized for each individual. Screening involves analyzing the patient's life history, a physical exam, and the two main screening tests are a stool test, to check for hidden bleeding, and a colonoscopy, which examines the intestines and looks for nodules, polyps, and cancer," explains gastrointestinal surgeon Lucas Nacif, a full member of the Brazilian College of Digestive Surgery.

Number

Colon and rectal cancers, which affect the intestine, are the third most common in Brazil, with around 45,000 new cases per year, according to estimates from the National Cancer Institute for the three-year period 2023 to 2025. The incidence is higher in the Southeast region – where it rises to second place in new cases – and among women.

Nacif explains that cancer usually develops from benign lesions, such as polyps, which raises the risk for people with this condition, as well as conditions like Crohn's disease and other chronic intestinal inflammations. Furthermore, a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, regular consumption of alcohol, tobacco, highly processed foods, and an unbalanced diet are also risk factors.

Unfortunately, according to the specialist, there's still a cultural factor that hinders early diagnosis: "People are afraid to see a doctor for this screening because the exam begins with a physical examination, and the doctor usually has to perform a digital rectal exam. But with a brief assessment, the doctor can be very specific in this prevention. And they're not evaluating whether the problem is beautiful, ugly, big, or small… they're performing a technical exam," explains Lucas Nacif.

Alert

The gastrointestinal surgeon also warns of the risks of only seeking medical advice after symptoms appear.

"Warning signs typically include changes in bowel movements, such as excessive diarrhea or constipation, weight loss, bleeding during bowel movements, and some abdominal pain. However, these situations usually occur when the cancer is already larger, which is why screening is so important," he concludes.