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Today, 08 November 2009

› Malema’s life in danger

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› Hofmeyr addresses Joost

› Major airport work done

› Bok captain heading home

Yesterday, 07 November 2009

› Malema’s life in danger

› Leicester sting Bok Bs

› Eskom chair faces the axe

› Nedbank, ANCYL make up

› Hofmeyr addresses Joost

Dr Bridget Farham explains how a family history of bowel cancer can increase one's risk of contracting the disease.

Question
My father died of bowel cancer 30 years ago. I have read that this is hereditary. If my brothers and I have no symptoms, should we have regular check-ups such as colonoscopy? Is constipation a symptom, since I have always suffered from constipation and it is getting worse?

Answer
Theoretically any first degree relative of someone who has had cancer of the large bowel is slightly more at risk than the rest of the population, and some people might suggest that you and your brothers are screened for cancer of the bowel. However, statistically only 25 percent of large bowel cancers have a hereditary component. There are two main groups of hereditary bowel cancers, those associated with polyps in the colon, and those which occur without colon polyps.

Familial colonic polyposis is a rare, but well studied condition, in which people have lots of polyps throughout the large bowel. These have the potential to become malignant, and usually people with this condition have several relatives who have had bowel cancer.

Another group are those who do not necessarily have polyps, but have a family history of multiple primary cancers, with an association between cancer of the bowel and cancer of the endometrium in women in these families. Again, these families have a strong history of cancers of all types, with bowel and endometrium being particularly common.

The main symptom of bowel cancer is a change in bowel habits, with particular emphasis on the "change". This may be constipation, but is more commonly diarrhoea. Bleeding, pain and weight loss tend to be late symptoms.

So should you be screened? Bowel cancer is most common after the age of 50 and there are many who believe that a routine rectal examination and a check for blood in the stool at the same time (done in the examining room) should be the norm for anyone over 40. Whether you would need to go as far as colonoscopy will depend on your family history and is something you should discuss with your own GP.