Bowel Cancer
Many people will have indulged (over indulged) throughout the holidays but the food we eat may have a serious impact on our health and lifestyle.
Bowel cancer is a major public health problem in Australia. Around 80 Australians die each week from this disease and it is the most commonly occurring internal cancer and second most common cause of cancer-related death after lung cancer.
Bowel cancer is a malignant growth that develops most often inside the large bowel. Such cancers affecting the large bowel are referred to as colorectal cancer and almost all colorectal cancers are the type of cancer known as adenocarcinoma.
Both men and women are at risk of developing bowel cancer. In Australia, the lifetime risk of developing bowel cancer before the age of 75 years is around 1 in 19 for men and 1 in 28 for women. This is one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world.
People at above average risk of bowel cancer i.e. family history, unhealthy lifestyle, or those over age 50 should talk to their doctor about relevant screening options. The aim of screening is to find cancer early when it is easier to treat and cure. Currently fewer than 40% of bowel cancers in Australia are detected early.(1)
Detecting bowel cancer at an early stage is very important as the prognosis is far better if diagnosed and treated at an early stage. For example stage 1, or early colon cancer, has a 10-year survival rate of 92% compared to 56% for late stage cancer.
With this in mind the Australian Government has taken the pro-active step of initiating a National Bowel Cancer Screening program for those Australians turning 50, 55 or 65. The screening program involves posting a home test kit that detects blood loss from the bowel (a symptom of possible bowel cancer) aimed at detecting cancer at an early stage. It has been shown that population screening in the above manner can reduce bowel cancer deaths by 15-33%. (2)
What causes bowel cancer?
Bowel cancer symptoms appear to be related to the aging process, diet, and in some instances a genetic predisposition. A genetic predisposition should be especially considered when there is a personal family history of bowel cancer.
Two such familial conditions that are seen include familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC).
Bowel cancer symptoms for familial adenomatous polyposis can be as high as 1,000 polyps may develop by late adolescence and the risk of cancer is so high that it is recommended that these individuals have their large bowel surgically removed before cancer develops. This condition is an extreme example of how genetics and a family history are important when assessing a person for cancer risk whether it be as a general practitioner or an underwriter.
People with an increased risk of bowel cancer as in the syndromes above and those with the inflammatory bowel disease known as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, should have regular checkups including a colonoscopy.
Failure to do so would be of concern as cancer may go undetected increasing the risk of the cancer spreading outside of the bowel.
For those people unfortunate enough to develop bowel cancer, treatment will include surgical resection of the bowel around the cancer and possibly the use of radiotherapy or chemotherapy. In a study of 250 people who developed bowel cancer whilst employed, 89% returned to work. It was found that the need for chemotherapy pushed out the time to return to work to over two months.
The good news is that the prognosis for bowel cancer is improving year by year.
In a time when New Year's resolutions are on our minds, tips to prevent bowel cancer include healthy eating with less processed food and more fibre, stopping smoking, exercise and weight control, and regular check-ups with your GP as you 'mature' in age.
How life insurance companies help
Most life insurance companies offer some form of trauma insurance or critical illness insurance, many of which provide a benefit in the event of bowel cancer. Income protection policies can also assist where you are unable to work at full capacity or at all for a period of time whilst recovering from treatment, providing an important source of continuing income.
Other optional benefits that only some life insurance company's offer can be added into an income protection policy such as the crisis cover option. This includes things like additional payments such as a lump sum equal to four to six times the monthly benefit in the event of cancer, regardless of whether or not you are capable of returning to work (such as CommInsure's Crisis benefit). This lump sum may also often be paid tax free! (ATO ID 2004/942).
Other insurers may offer things like accommodation and family support benefits for individuals who need to travel longer distances to receive treatment. These additional benefits are great for family members who need to take time off work to care for their loved ones.
There is no doubt bowel cancer is a serious health condition affecting many Australians. However, awareness of the disease through the national screening program, continued focus on our lifestyle choices and improving treatments will ensure management of this burdening disease.
For those who suffer from this illness, trauma insurance provides financial assistance in times of need. If you would like to discuss your options contact xLife or request trauma insurance quotes.
Source
1 www.health.gov.au - National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
2 www.cancerinstitute.org.au/cancer.../bowelcancerscreen.html-
3 Bowel cancer screening- An overview of the National Bowel Cancer Screening program
Exclusive Offer! Call xLife on 1300 135 205 today and
save up to 20% on your first year's trauma protection premium.
January 2010
