Latest news with #KarenCanfell
Sydney Morning Herald
11 hours ago
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
More young people are getting colon cancer. Here is what you can do to protect yourself
Do you want the good news, or the bad news? The good news is that the rates of colon cancer in the over-50s are falling. The bad news? Cases of colon cancer, also known as bowel cancer, are rising in younger people, with numbers more than doubling in Australia since 2000. Australia now has the highest rates of reported early-onset colon cancer among 50 countries worldwide. While the falling rates in older Australians have coincided with the introduction of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, attention is now turning to the alarming rise among young people, with one in nine Australians diagnosed with bowel cancer under the age of 50. The list of suspects for the increase is long, but rising rates of overweight, obesity and inactivity in younger adults are major contenders, says Professor Karen Canfell, professor of public health at the University of Sydney. 'There's already good evidence that they can cause colon cancer, and a major line of inquiry is the extent to which under-50s are now affected by them – it's likely to explain part of the phenomenon.' Diet, alcohol, smoking, early exposure to antibiotics, and infection from bacteria are other suspects. So is a relative newcomer: microplastics, those invisible fragments of plastic in food and water that can end up inside us, say a group of researchers and colorectal surgeons from Monash University and Cabrini Health in Melbourne. Loading Not-so-fantastic plastic Reading their recent summary of what's known so far about the impact of microplastic in the gut in the ANZ Journal of Surgery makes you regret ever sipping water from a plastic bottle or diving into a takeaway container of green curry – especially when you learn that adults consume up to 52,000 particles each year, with babies and small children potentially taking in more via plastic drink bottles. 'We're seeing more young patients with rectal and distal colon cancer, often without the usual risk factors. This motivated us to explore whether microplastics could contribute in some way,' says senior author Dr Vignesh Narasimhan, a colorectal surgeon at Monash Health and Cabrini Hospital.
The Age
11 hours ago
- Health
- The Age
More young people are getting colon cancer. Here is what you can do to protect yourself
Do you want the good news, or the bad news? The good news is that the rates of colon cancer in the over-50s are falling. The bad news? Cases of colon cancer, also known as bowel cancer, are rising in younger people, with numbers more than doubling in Australia since 2000. Australia now has the highest rates of reported early-onset colon cancer among 50 countries worldwide. While the falling rates in older Australians have coincided with the introduction of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, attention is now turning to the alarming rise among young people, with one in nine Australians diagnosed with bowel cancer under the age of 50. The list of suspects for the increase is long, but rising rates of overweight, obesity and inactivity in younger adults are major contenders, says Professor Karen Canfell, professor of public health at the University of Sydney. 'There's already good evidence that they can cause colon cancer, and a major line of inquiry is the extent to which under-50s are now affected by them – it's likely to explain part of the phenomenon.' Diet, alcohol, smoking, early exposure to antibiotics, and infection from bacteria are other suspects. So is a relative newcomer: microplastics, those invisible fragments of plastic in food and water that can end up inside us, say a group of researchers and colorectal surgeons from Monash University and Cabrini Health in Melbourne. Loading Not-so-fantastic plastic Reading their recent summary of what's known so far about the impact of microplastic in the gut in the ANZ Journal of Surgery makes you regret ever sipping water from a plastic bottle or diving into a takeaway container of green curry – especially when you learn that adults consume up to 52,000 particles each year, with babies and small children potentially taking in more via plastic drink bottles. 'We're seeing more young patients with rectal and distal colon cancer, often without the usual risk factors. This motivated us to explore whether microplastics could contribute in some way,' says senior author Dr Vignesh Narasimhan, a colorectal surgeon at Monash Health and Cabrini Hospital.
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
How to identify if you have 'stage 0' cancer BEFORE any symptoms appear
There's a myriad of reasons – and excuses – people will use to skip a cancer health check screening. Life can get busy, attending an appointment can be complicated and let's face it, there's far more enjoyable things to do with your time. But sticking to the recommended health check screening schedules could potentially be the difference when it comes to early detection of cancer or potentially cancerous cells, also known as Stage 0 cancer. Catching cancer risk sooner than later is the reason why doctors and organisations like Cancer Council Australia continuously spruik the message: 'Early detection saves lives'. The Screening and Immunisation Committee Chair Karen Canfell explained to FEMAIL that the aim of the national cancer screening programs is 'to find and treat cancers in healthy individuals as early as possible or, even better, in a precancerous stage'. The role that regular scheduled screening programs have in this early detection process ties into Stage 0 cancer – and how screenings offer a rare chance to assist with catching cancer risk at an extremely early stage. Understanding Stage 0 cancer and symptoms In cancer diagnoses, staging is used by medical practitioners as a measure of how far a cancer has spread in the body. In its simplest form, Karen explained: 'Stage 1 is a cancer contained in its primary site, Stage 2 cancer has spread to local lymph nodes, Stage 3 to tissue beyond local lymph nodes and Stage 4 cancers have metastasised to other organs and distant parts of the body.' 'Diagnostic tests and examinations will help show if you have cancer, the size of the tumour, if it has spread from the original site to other parts of the body, and whether lymph nodes are affected. These factors are combined to determine which stage a cancer is in, from Stage 1 to 4.' Sitting outside this scale is Stage 0 cancer, also 'referred to as in situ', which is a precursor to all the above stages. 'A collection of abnormal cells that has not yet spread or become invasive is assigned Stage 0, or referred to as in situ, as it is an early form of cancer,' Karen explained. Common cancer symptoms like lumps are rarely associated with a Stage 0 cancer diagnosis – meaning they're almost exclusively detected after participating in a screening program or a self-initiated health check. 'This is why cancer screening is important, as screening programs can identify early-stage cancers and precancerous conditions through signs that might otherwise go unnoticed,' the spokesperson confirmed. 'Often, precancerous or abnormal cell development, like the changes that precede cervical cancer, won't cause symptoms. 'It's also important to know that some cancers, such as breast and bowel cancer, may show no symptoms at any stage of tumour growth.' Karen explained that the cancers most commonly detected at Stage 0 'include breast cancer, prostate cancer and melanoma' – which are also among 'the most common cancers in Australia at all stages of diagnosis combined'. The absence of symptoms accompanying a Stage 0 diagnosis circles back to the importance of stringently adhering to the recommended schedule times from health cancer screenings as an absolute minimum. 'For most cancers, clinical outcomes are better if they are detected and treated at early stage.' Screening programs that could assist in Stage 0 cancer detection At present in Australia, there are organised screening programs available for bowel, cervical and breast cancers, with a lung cancer screening program being introduced in Australia from July. Using the example of National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, the Cancer Council chair explained that when 'detected early, over 90 per cent of bowel cancers can be successfully treated'. 'Between 2021 – 2022, only 40 per cent of eligible Australians participated in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program,' she said. 'We know, through modelling, that if this figure increased to 60 per cent, 84,000 lives could be saved by 2040.' 'The key is, if you are eligible for a cancer screening program, participate – it could save your life, whether that's through detection of a precancerous condition or an early-stage cancer that would have spread if not detected through screening.' So how often should those who are eligible be participating in these screenings? The health expert confirmed that the requirements vary between the screening programs. 'The BreastScreen Australia Program invites women aged 50 – 74 to have a free mammogram every 2 years,' said Karen. The expert explained that women aged 40 - 49 and those aged over 74 are also eligible to receive free mammograms, but will not receive a direct reminder notification. 'To participate in the program, you need to book in for an appointment at a BreastScreen Australia clinic,' Karen added. The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program is an at-home test called a faecal occult blood test (FOBT), which is mailed to people aged 50-74 every two years. Additionally, people aged 45 – 49 can also request to be sent a kit through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Register. 'This test looks for traces of blood in the poo which you collect two samples of and mail it to a pathology lab for analysis,' Karen explained. 'If your result is positive, follow-up tests, like a colonoscopy, are recommended to determine the origin and cause of the blood.' The National Cervical Screening Program is open to women aged between 25-75, and they're invited to screen every five years. 'The test looks for signs of HPV, which causes 93 per cent of cervical cancers, and other pre-cancerous abnormalities, which if left untreated may progress to cervical cancer,' Karen said. 'The program offers two screening options – self-collection or clinical-collection.' You can find out more about your eligibility for the National Breast, Bowel and Cervical Cancer Screening Programs HERE. The new National Lung Cancer Screening Program starting in July is for Australians aged 50 -70 as well as those who currently smoke or have quit smoking in the past 10 years and have a heavy smoking history. Australians will need to speak to their GP to be referred to the screening program. 'The test involves undergoing a low-dose CT scan, which takes around 10-15 minutes,' Karen explained. Staying on screening track If you have gone longer than the recommended amount of time between screening appointments, the health expert suggests doing it sooner than later. 'If you're eligible for one of these screening programs and you've put off or missed participating in one, it's important to make sure you catch up.' The health expert adds that it's important to remember that 'most screening tests are not diagnostic tests – and are most often used to look for 'early indicators of cancer', which are then subsequently 'used alongside other tests to determine cancer diagnosis'. 'That's why it's also important to get to know your own body and keep an eye out for any unusual changes,' she said. 'If you notice any changes, such as a lump in your breast or a spot growing on your skin, it's important to see your doctor for further investigations.' Next steps: what happens after a Stage 0 cancer diagnosis If a screening followed by further diagnostics returns a Stage 0 cancer diagnosis, Karen said the upside is that most cancers diagnosed at Stage 0 'will have a good treatment outcome'. 'Outcomes can, however, vary, given there are more than 200 cancer types and subtypes,' she added. Following a Stage 0 cancer diagnosis, Karen explained that your doctor will advise the best suited treatment plan for your situation and cancer type. Some of the common cancer treatment options 'include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy'. But in the case of a Stage 0 diagnosis, Karen noted that none of these measures may be initially necessary. 'Your doctor may also advise that you need routine monitoring, but do not need active treatment.' There's never a good time to find out you have cancer. But if you do, finding out that it's at Stage 0, or cancer in situ, increases the amount of time for investigation and treatment options to be fully explored. Beyond adhering closely to the national schedule screenings and being vigilant about health self-checks, Karen also suggests some other simple lifestyle measures. 'For all cancers, the keys for prevention are aiming to lead a cancer-smart lifestyle,' she explained. 'Not smoking, protecting yourself from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, having a healthy diet and exercise, moderating alcohol use – and screening for cancer if eligible and having regular health checks.'
