DOES BEING YOUNGER MEAN A BETTER SURVIVAL RATE?
“There is no difference in the colorectal cancer detected across the ages,” said Dr Wong. Also, “whether or not polyps have a high chance of developing cancer is independent of age” and more on these factors:
Size: There is a 50 per cent chance of a polyp becoming cancerous when it is larger than 2.5cm; hence, the importance of removing them while small.
Shape: Pedunculated polyps have a stalk that connects the polyp to the intestinal lining. When removed, they usually do not recur. On the other hand, flat or sessile polyps merge into the intestine lining, making them easier to invade the intestine wall.
Number of polyps: The greater the number of polyps, the higher the incidence of cancer.
Cell type: Adenomatous polyps are pre-cancerous. Hyperplastic polyps are usually benign.
According to Dr Wong, tthe survival rate depends only on the stage of the cancer. Unfortunately, “more than 50 per cent of colorectal cancer cases are detected in an advanced stage (eg. Stage III or IV)”.
“This is mainly due to the fact that by the time symptoms are present – a change in bowel habits, abdominal pain or bloating, more than 10 per cent weight loss, and abnormal yet visible rectal bleeding – the cancer has grown to a large size ,” he said.