Doctors stress the need for screening to identify colorectal cancer early

Rising trend of colorectal cancer prompts need for early screening and treatment to save lives.

With the rising trend of colorectal cancer turning into a cause for concern, doctors raised the need for screening to identify and treat the cancer early.

Colorectal (bowel) cancer is cancer arising from the large intestine. Depending on the location in the large bowel, it can be either colon cancer or rectal cancer. It usually affects persons aged 50 and above. But one concern is that in India, around one-third of these cancers affect persons aged 40 to 50. Men are affected more than women, according to a press release.

K.R. Palaniswamy, president, Tamil Nadu Gastroenterologist Trust and senior consultant, gastroenterology, Apollo Hospitals, said awareness on colon cancer was low. “It is treatable, and it is important to diagnose it early,” he said, adding: “We need to promote screening for early diagnosis.” He said in the U.S., colonoscopy was compulsory for persons after the age of 45.

The trust, along with Apollo Hospitals, is organising ‘Colon Cancer Symposium 2025’ on Saturday (March 22, 2025). In India, one in 10,000 persons develop bowel cancer. However, two out of three persons diagnosed with this cancer die in the same year due to late diagnosis, the release said.

Summarising the findings of a colorectal study done by the Indian Society of Gastroenterology, Tamil Nadu Chapter, during 2021-22, Ubal Dhus, senior consultant, gastroenterology, Apollo Hospitals, said 1,200 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer from 23 centres — both government and private hospitals — across the State were assessed.

On the risk factors, he said one-fourth of them were smokers, one-third consumed alcohol, and one-third were obese; obesity poses a higher risk of colorectal cancer. “Colorectal cancer is considered a cancer of the affluent society. But this is not true. Two-thirds of them belonged to the lower socio-economic group. They had no access to screening and treatment,” Dr. Dhus said.

He had earlier said there was a rising trend of colorectal cancer in the last decade. There has been a 20% increase across the country, he added.