According to Dr. Rebecca Rhee, colorectal cancer survivors (also known as CRC) or anal cancer should remain vigilant thanks to regular monitoring and routine screening. Although healthy lifestyle choices – like avoiding smoking, limit red meat and eat more fiber – can help reduce the risk of cancer or recurrence, these steps do not completely eliminate it.
Rhee works at the Medical Center Maimonides where she is a colorectal surgeon and program director of the general surgery residence. She sat on a video interview with Cure to discuss more on the subject.
After treatment, routine monitoring is important. This may include physical exams, endoscopy, imaging analyzes and blood tests. A blood test commonly used in the monitoring of colorectal cancer is the test of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), which follows the tumor markers, as explained by Rhee. A more recent test, circulating from tumor DNA (CTDNA), can also detect traces of cancer DNA in the bloodstream and can offer another tool to monitor recurrence.
Signs of recurrence may resemble the initial symptoms of cancer, such as changes in stool, bleeding or pain. However, many recurrences are detected through planned monitoring exams rather than symptoms alone.
Rhee stressed that, although healthy lifestyle choices can be beneficial, they do not replace routine surveillance.
Transcription:
Question: Are there changes in lifestyle or diet that can support treatment or reduce the risk of occurrence after treatment?
Answer: I would say that the greatest thing, of course, with many cancers, is not to smoke. Smoking is a universal thing that you should certainly stop to reduce your risk of cancer or recurrence. But apart from that, general things in lifestyle such as eating a diet rich in fiber (can help), and some say that avoiding red meat has provided advantages.
But even if you do all these things perfectly, no smoking, no red meat, eating a diet rich in fiber, there are always risks. This is why you get a treatment and we make vouchers. Monitoring to detect any possible recurrence and, of course, to bring to the house screening (is a point to remember). It is the real way of detecting things and, hopefully, prevent cancers.
The transcription has been modified for more clarity and conciseness.
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