Colorectal Cancer: Risk Factors and Prevention

By
Mary Desroches
-

2Risk Factors of Colorectal Cancer

The causes of colorectal cancer are still unclear. Doctors believe the disease is related to gene mutation. When DNA is damaged, cells start to break up out of control and forms a tumor in the end. Following are some risk factors for having colorectal cancer. Keep reading and get more details.

Age

Colorectal cancer could be diagnosed at any age, but older people are more likely to develop bowel disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 90% of diagnosed cases are found in people over 50. Scientists found that the molecular homeostasis is destroyed while aging, leading to a DNA mutation. In addition, aging decreases the normal function of intestinal epithelial stem cells and might result in abnormal cell growths in the colon or rectum. [2]

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