Guide To Colon Cancer Causes And Risk Factors

Smoking And Alcohol Consumption

An individual who makes certain lifestyle choices will be at an increased risk of developing colon cancer in comparison to someone who makes healthier lifestyle choices. Smoking cigarettes regularly increases an individual's risk of developing hundreds of different types of cancer, including colon cancer. Thousands of toxins in cigarette smoke enter an individual's body when they smoke and can cause damage to the tissues in the digestive tract. This damage to the cells provides greater opportunity for a carcinogenic mutation to occur in the affected area. Regular and excessive consumption of alcohol can also cause excessive damage to digestive organs and tissues over time. When the body is constantly repairing damage to cells compromised by toxins like those in cigarette smoke and alcohol, there is more opportunity for a mutation to take place. The repair mechanisms in the body are typically able to mediate cellular damage, but mistakes do happen in these processes and can lead to the development of malignancy in the intestinal tissues.

Read more about the various risk factors for colon cancer now.