Risk factors for colorectal cancer include:
- Ulcerative colitis, sometimes called panulcerative colitis.
- Familial or multiple polyposis--a disease occurring in some families that
consists of multiple adenomatous polyps of the colon which have high malignant
potential. Also called familial polyposis colonae, polyposis coli, familial
intestinal polyposis, hereditary gastrointestinal polyposis, multiple familial
polyposis, Gardner's syndrome, Peutz-Jaegher's syndrome, Canada-Cronkhite
syndrome, or Turcot syndrome.
- Crohn's disease--benign chronic granulomatous inflammatory disease of
any or all parts of the colon.
- Diet that is low in fiber, causing digestion to be slowed and transit
time through the bowel to be increased.
- Patient history of colon or rectal cancer.
- Patient history of colon or rectal polyps.
- Family history of colorectal cancer or female genital cancer.
Risk factors for anal cancer include:
- Age--more frequent in patients over 50 years old.
- Gender--more frequent in women.