Quirónsalud Valencia will make free tests for the early detection of colon cancer

The Hospital Quirónsalud Valencia launches a free campaign for early diagnosis of colon cancer on the occasion of the world day of this pathology, which is celebrated on March 31. The initiative consists in practicing free fecal occult blood tests to the population in general and to patients in the hospital center between 50 and 74, who do not present digestive symptoms (blood manifests in the stool, abdominal pain, change in the intestinal rhythm, etc.) .

For its realization, the patients interested in carrying out the tests can go from March 26 to 29 exclusive hours from 10:00 to 12:00 hours to collect the necessary kit to perform the analysis in the stand installed in the hospital center of Avenida Blasco Ibáñez , 14. The delivery of the samples in this center will take place from April 3 to 6, from 12:00 to 14:00 hours in the laboratory service of the same center.

Colon and rectal cancer is one of the most frequent neoplasms in Western countries and constitutes a worldwide public health problem. As Dr. Julio Ponce, head of the Department of Gastroenterology of the Hospital Quirónsalud Valencia, "is currently the second neoplasm in both men and women, after lung cancer and breast cancer, respectively. When both sexes are considered together, it occupies the first place in incidence and represents the second cause of cancer death. In Spain, it is estimated that 26,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. "

It is recommended to start its prevention starting at 50 years of age, "although in patients considered high risk due to family or personal history that increase the risk or suspicion, it is advisable to start prevention beforehand", warns Dr. Ponce. For its prevention, different types of scans can be performed, with the stool test being the most used. "A positive result in this test should be continued with a diagnostic confirmation colonoscopy," advises the specialist, "and if the test is negative, it is recommended to repeat it after two years."

Nonspecific symptoms

It is important to know that in some patients colon cancer can present initially without symptoms. "Therefore," says Dr. Ricardo Yaya, a specialist in colorectal cancer at the Oncology Service of Quirónsalud Valencia, "early diagnosis programs are very important since the symptoms of colon cancer can be very nonspecific and arise, for example, as a change in the bowel habit with diarrhea, constipation or alternation of both, an emission of mucus or blood with the stool and, in some cases as an intestinal obstruction manifested with absence of emission of stool and gas, abdominal distention and pain".

Increase in cure rates

The prognosis of patients with this type of cancer depends on the stage in which it has been diagnosed, that is, how widespread it is at the time of diagnosis. "The five-year survival rate is usually used as an index to assess the prognosis of each situation. This rate expresses the percentage of patients who will continue to live five years after having been diagnosed with cancer, "explains Dr. Carlos Fernandez Martos, Gastrointestinal Oncologist and coordinator of the Oncology Service of Quirónsalud Valencia. Thus the five-year survival rates of a stage I colon cancer are greater than 90%. However, in those patients with multiple metastases in various locations or stage IV, the 5-year survival rate is only slightly greater than 10%. "Fortunately, these figures are improving rapidly thanks to the incorporation of new therapies and early diagnosis techniques. Patients who are diagnosed with colon cancer today will probably surpass these expectations of survival ", states Dr. Fernández Martos.