Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The American Cancer Society’s estimates for the number of colorectal cancer cases in the United States for 2019 are 101,420 new cases of colon cancer and 44,180 new cases of rectal cancer.

Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks recently declared each Friday in March would be “Go Blue for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.” The observance is to remind residents about the importance of screenings.

During the Feb. 25 City Council meeting, Marks shared his colorectal cancer scare, but said the test results were benign. He encouraged all those in attendance to receive regular checkups.

Risk factors

Some risks for colorectal cancer are beyond an individual’s control. For example, the CCS notes that a personal or family history of polyps in the colon, rectum or both significantly increases a person’s risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Lynch syndrome, a condition caused by gene mutations, causes polyps to develop in the lining of the colon, rectum or both. Since Lynch syndrome is inherited, there is nothing men and women can do to reduce their risk of developing it. Other factors include:

• Being overweight or obese: If you are overweight or obese (very overweight), your risk of developing and dying from colorectal cancer is higher. Being overweight (especially having a larger waistline) raises the risk of colon and rectal cancer in both men and women, but the link seems to be stronger in men.

• Physical inactivity: If you’re not physically active, you have a greater chance of developing colon cancer. Being more active can help lower your risk.

• Types of diet: A diet that’s high in red meats (such as beef, pork, lamb, or liver) and processed meats (like hot dogs and some luncheon meats) raises your colorectal cancer risk. Cooking meats at very high temperatures (frying, broiling, or grilling) creates chemicals that might raise your cancer risk. It’s not clear how much this might increase your colorectal cancer risk.

• Smoking: People who have smoked tobacco for a long time are more likely than non-smokers to develop and die from colorectal cancer. Smoking is a well-known cause of lung cancer, but it’s linked to a lot of other cancers, too.

• Alcohol use: Colorectal cancer has been linked to moderate to heavy alcohol use. Limiting alcohol use to no more than 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women could have many health benefits, including a lower risk of many kinds of cancer.

• A history of IBD: If you have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including either ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, your risk of colorectal cancer is increased. IBD is a condition in which the colon is inflamed over a long period of time. People who have had IBD for many years, especially if untreated, often develop dysplasia. Dysplasia is a term used to describe cells in the lining of the colon or rectum that look abnormal, but are not true cancer cells. They can change into cancer over time. If you have IBD, you may need to start getting screened for colorectal cancer when you are younger and be screened more often.

Take action

There are certain things individuals can do that might help save them from falling victim to colorectal cancer, including undergoing a screening.

The CDC notes that colorectal cancer usually begins when polyps form in the colon or rectum. If they go undetected, these polyps may turn into cancer.

Screening can detect polyps early so they are found before they develop into cancer. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends colorectal cancer screening using high-sensitivity fecal occult blood testing, or FOBT; sigmoidoscopy; or colonoscopy for men and women between the ages of 50 and 75.