On average, 265 Brazilians are hospitalized daily in the Unified Health System (SUS) for serious complications related to bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer. The number, identified throughout 2022, reached the highest level of the decade, according to a survey by the Brazilian Society of Digestive Endoscopy, the Brazilian Society of Coloproctology and the Brazilian Federation of Gastroenterology (FBG). According to the entities, hospitalization records show alarming numbers: 768,663 hospitalizations in the SUS alone for the treatment of the disease between 2013 and 2022. Mortality data resulting from this type of cancer indicate that, in 2021 alone, 19,924 deaths were recorded . Cases increase, on average, by about 5% each year, with a 40% increase in relation to cases registered in 2012 (14,270). The National Cancer Institute (Inca) projects the number of new cases of bowel cancer in Brazil to be 45,630 for the three-year period from 2023 to 2025. If such projections are confirmed, according to the entities, the disease will reach a contingent of more than 136 thousand people in the country. According to Inca, the estimated risk is 21.10 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with 21,970 among men and 23,660 among women. “Although little discussed, the disease – which affects the rectum and intestines – already occupies a prominent place among the most lethal neoplasms for men and women in Brazil”, warn medical associations. A diagnosis of colorectal cancer, however, is not a death sentence. If not treated well, it can, in fact, have serious consequences for the patient’s well-being. But the sooner it is discovered, the greater the possibility of intervention and cure. The guideline is that, from the age of 45, everyone should see a doctor to assess the health of the intestine. About 90% of bowel cancer cases originate from a polyp, a type of lesion in the bowel mucosa that can turn into cancer. In a colonoscopy, for example, these polyps can be removed, preventing the disease. In cases of family history, it is important that the evaluation be done even before the age of 45. Another alert is that people with inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, are at increased risk for bowel cancer. Some of these patients may not have any symptoms in the early stages of the disease – hence the importance of diagnostic tests. Hospitalizations Despite the covid-19 pandemic – a period in which the number of hospitalizations due to other diseases dropped – 2022 registered an increase in hospitalizations for the treatment of bowel cancer in 21 Brazilian states. The biggest proportional increase took place in Mato Grosso, where the number of hospitalizations went from 917 in 2020 to 1,385 in 2022 – a jump of 51%. Throughout the historical series, in absolute values São Paulo appears as the state with the most records: 178,355 hospitalizations. In second place is Paraná, with 108,296 occurrences. Soon after, Minas Gerais (105,441 cases), Rio Grande do Sul (78,140 cases) and Santa Catarina (48,995 cases) appear. Campaign Throughout this month, the medical associations involved in the survey publicize a national campaign for awareness and prevention of bowel cancer called the Blue March. In 2023, with the slogan “Health is prevention. Take care of yourself, avoid bowel cancer”, the specialists draw the attention of Brazilians to the need to combine prevention, early diagnosis and treatment. The proposal is to invest in preventive actions and prevent patients from having to be hospitalized. The campaign highlights that there are less complex diagnostic methods that can be offered systematically by the SUS to track patients more likely to develop the disease. When changes in the rectum and intestine are diagnosed in the early stages, there is the possibility of intervening early and preventing an unfavorable evolution. Because it shows few signs in the early stages, bowel cancer should be periodically screened in men and women, starting at 45 years of age. This investigation basically takes place through the performance of two tests: the fecal occult blood test and colonoscopy. As ways to prevent the emergence of new cases, the entities warn against smoking, alcoholism, physical inactivity, excessive consumption of red meat and diets low in fiber. All factors are considered risk factors for the development of colorectal cancer. More information can be obtained on the campaign’s website.
Agência Brasil
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