Dr. Tamás Sztipits is a specialist in laparoscopic colonoscopic surgery, whose vocation is healing. With the help of our doctor, we have prepared a four-part educational video series for you, in which we are trying to contribute to this important call.
The following article is intended to provide you with the most important information on the call as a kind of knowledge base. A taboo subject? Embarrassing to talk about? Afraid of the answer? Don’t do it! Watch our four upcoming videos in March, read the article and find out everything you’ve been afraid to ask!
Hungary also holds the negative record for colon cancer in terms of morbidity and mortality statistics. Nearly 10,000 new cases are registered every year and nearly half of these are fatal. It can be frightening information at first, but once you know why we are at the top of the podium in this unwanted race, you will understand how easily we can improve our numbers.
Colorectal cancer takes years – sometimes decades – to develop, so our first priority (as with many other diseases) is to live a healthy lifestyle.
Eating a healthy diet – eating fibre-rich nutrients, reducing the amount of meat (compared to Hungarian habits), fasting days, minimising processed foods and eating plenty of vegetables – is very important. Regular exercise and adequate quality and quantity of rest also significantly reduce the risk of disease. There are, of course, factors beyond control, such as genetic predisposition or a family history of the disease.
By taking these factors into account, we can immediately get an idea of where we stand on an imaginary risk scale. However, whatever the result, prevention and early detection are the most important! That’s why, in addition to a good lifestyle, regular screening tests are the best way to do this.
If you experience any of the following, make sure you see a specialist and ask for a colonoscopy screening test:
The most reliable screening test is colonoscopy, also known as colonoscopy. It is a procedure that takes up to 30 minutes and can be performed under general anaesthesia, with no pain. In most countries it is recommended every 5-10 years. The big advantage of a colonoscopy is that if a polyp is found, it can be removed immediately.
Screening can be done with special stool blood tests, but these are less reliable than colonoscopy. If one does choose to do this, it is recommended to have an annual test.
Colorectal cancer usually affects people aged 50+ years, so screening is recommended from 45+ years. The reason for this is that we want to diagnose the pre-cancerous condition – also known as polyps – not the disease that has already developed!
The gender distribution is minimally skewed towards men, but there is a misconception that it is a male-only disease. Screening is recommended for both men and women.
All generalisations aside, it is recommended that you see a specialist immediately if you already have the symptoms mentioned above.
Colon cancer starts as tiny growths on the intestinal wall, called polyps. It can take up to 10 years for a tiny polyp to develop into colon cancer, so early intervention is possible. If detected early enough, polyps are simply ‘clipped’ during a colonoscopy to prevent them from ever developing into a tumour.
The chances of cure are still very good even if you have already developed colon cancer but it is still at an early or intermediate stage. In these cases, surgery is necessary, but thanks to modern cancer surgery, it can lead to a quick and lasting cure.
Colorectal cancers are classified into 4 stages according to their progression. The earlier the stage, the better the chances of cure:
St. I ~95%
St. II ~85%
St. III ~75%
St. IV ~20%
The vast majority of colorectal operations are now performed using a minimally invasive technique called laparoscopy. Thanks to this technique, the operation is performed with minimal pain, leaving only tiny scars on the abdominal wall, the patient can be on his feet on the day of the operation, have a light dinner the same evening and leave the hospital after 3-4 days.
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