Risk Factors for Cancer of Upper Colon Reported

Getting older, being female, being black (non-Hispanic), and having certain other diseases are associated with a greater risk of developing cancer of the upper colon, according to researchers at the University of South Florida.

Their study, based on observation of 9,550 patients from the Florida statewide cancer registry, appears in the journal of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Diseases of the Colon and Rectum.

Because it is harder to detect, cancer in the upper colon is usually diagnosed at a later stage. Knowing which groups might have a higher risk for this type of cancer would help in screening these individuals earlier, explained the researchers.

"This is the first time that an association has been made between specific . . . illnesses (congestive heart failure, peptic ulcer, and diabetes mellitus) and colorectal cancer being located in the upper colon," noted researcher Dr. Eduardo C. Gonzalez.

• Individuals within these four groups exhibited higher risk factors:
• Increasing age-each year increased risk 2.2 percent.
• Being female increased risk by 38 percent.
• Having congestive heart failure, peptic ulcer, or diabetes mellitus increased risk 28 percent
• Being black (non-Hispanic) increased risk 24 percent.

Other sources: Diseases of the Colon and Rectum