Colon cancer or colorectal cancer appears to be more common in men than women, said Dr. Fahd Al-Khedari, cancer researcher at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and member of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Society for Combating Cancer. He said colonoscopies on 50,000 patients found 73 percent more advanced cancerous lesions in males than females. Cancers most affecting men are colorectal cancer, followed by leukemia and then lung cancer, said Al-Khedari. He said both men and women should go for a colonoscopy at age 50 with a check-up every10 years. People with a family history of colon or rectal cancer should go for earlier and more frequent visits to the doctor. He said his research shows that the high incidence of lung cancer in the Eastern Province is caused by the large number of those who smoke. Makkah has the second-highest incidence of lung cancer in the Kingdom because of smoking, he added. He said other researchers believe that environmental pollution is mainly responsible for the spread of lung cancer in Makkah and the Eastern Province, particularly toxic emissions from cars and factories. “We should also take into account that the high humidity in both regions helps the spread of the disease because the humidity keeps most of the air pollutants in the lower layers of the atmosphere,” he said. Genetic factors should also be taken into account, he added. He said many foods contain cancer-causing flavors and colors. People with poor eating habits are also at risk of developing some forms of cancer. Al-Khedari said that the current primary healthcare system is not equipped to detect these diseases. Doctors are also not properly trained to diagnose cancers. The specialized and advanced centers are only found in the big cities but these facilities also lack properly trained doctors who can make a correct diagnosis and prescribe the right medicine. He said a medical survey carried out by the Saudi Society for Combating Cancer recently showed that Qasim, Hail, Jizan and Baha are amongst the least cancer-affected regions in the Kingdom. He said his organization helps many cancer sufferers by giving them free accommodation and medical treatment. __
