Prevention of colorectal cancer can be classified into three groups: primary prevention aims to prevent disease onset through a healthy diet, avoiding tobacco/alcohol, and supplementation. Secondary prevention uses regular check-ups and screening/imaging to enable early diagnosis and treatment. Tertiary prevention focuses on rehabilitation after illness. A diet high in red/processed meat, refined grains and sugars increases risk, while replacing these with poultry, fish, plants, unsaturated fats, and fiber can help prevent colorectal cancer. Other preventive measures include avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight and activity levels, and taking supplements like vitamins, calcium, and magnesium.

1. Prevention of
colorectal cancer
Jan Stanislav Dorosz M1770

2. Classification
Prevention can be classified into 3 main groups:
1. Primary (those preventive measures that prevent the onset of illness or injury before the disease
process begins)
- Healthy diet
- Avoidance of tobacco/alcohol
- Supplementation
1. Secondary (those preventive measures that lead to early diagnosis and prompt treatment of a
disease)
- Regular check-ups
- Screening/Imagining
- Not disregarding signs and symptoms
1. Tertiary (those preventive measures are aimed at rehabilitation following significant illness)

3. Diet
High intake of red and processed
meat, highly refined grains and
starches, sugars increases the risk
of colorectal cancer.

4. Dietary prevention
➔ Replacing highly processed and refined foods as primary source of protein
- Poultry
- Fish
- Plant resources
➔ Unsaturated fats as primary source of fats
➔ Unrefined grains and legumes/fruits as primary source of carbohydrates
➔ High fiber diet

5. Others
➔ Avoid smoking as it’s harmful in mutiple patterns
➔ Avoid heavy alcohol usage
➔ Maintain healthy weight
➔ Maintain physical activity
➔ Supplementation:
- Vitamins
- Calcium
- Magnessium
Supplementation:
- Aspirin
- NSAIDs
- Post-menopausal drugs

6. Proposed mechanisms
There are 3 main groups of proposed mechanisms:
1. Inflammation-related mechanism
2. Insulin-related mechanism
3. Folate/alcohol related mechanism

9. Notes
When meat undergoes prolonged frying, grilling, or broiling at high temperatures,
mutagenic heterocyclic amines are formed from creatinine, and these interact with amino
acids
As much as Calcium/Dietary products decrease risk of developing colorectal cancer its also
believed that it increases risk of developing other cancers like prostate cancer therefore
there are no specific recommendations regarding those substances.
Same with hormonal drugs in menopause in women that increase risk of heart diseases,
blood clots and cancers of breast or lungs.

10. References
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 09.12.2020,
<https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/basic_info/prevention.htm>
2. American Cancer Society, 09.12.2020, <https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-
rectal-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/prevention.html>
3. National Institutes of Health, 09.12.2020,
<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2947820/>

11. Thank you for
your attention