Colon cancer cases rise in Panama; most patients diagnosed with symptoms

Colorectal cancer is a growing concern in Panama, marked by a stark reality: the vast majority of patients diagnosed at the National Oncology Institute present with advanced symptoms. Dr. Carlos Tuñón, president of the Panamanian Association of Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy, highlighted that a staggering 98.3% of patients arrive symptomatic, with nearly 40% already in stages 3 or 4 of the disease.

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Only 1.7% of patients diagnosed with cancer who arrive at the National Oncology Institute arrive through a preventive intervention. More than 98% arrive symptomatic and of those, almost 40% arrive in stage 3 and 4.

This late-stage diagnosis is largely due to a lack of preventive interventions. Dr. Tuñón noted that only a meager 1.7% of patients are identified through proactive screening. This situation places a significant burden on the National Oncology Institute, where colon cancer accounts for 80% of its patient load. Official statistics from 2023-2024 place colorectal cancer as the third most common cancer in Panama, and tied for first in mortality, alongside prostate cancer.

The disease typically affects individuals around age 60, with women slightly more prone. Symptoms can vary depending on the tumor's location: right-sided colon cancer may manifest as anemia, while left-sided tumors can cause acute constipation, abdominal bloating, pain, and obstructive symptoms. Dr. Tuñón emphasized that colorectal cancer is often silent in its early stages, making regular screening vital.

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There is a stage prior to cancer that is a polyp stage and this stage of polyp is detected through, perhaps, biochemical tests in the stool. And this, and once we can identify those patients, then they should go for a colonoscopy to remove the polyp.

Crucially, the disease progresses through a polyp stage before becoming cancerous. "There is a stage prior to cancer that is a polyp stage, and this polyp stage is detected through, perhaps, biochemical tests in the stool," Dr. Tuñón explained. Identifying individuals with polyps allows for their removal during a colonoscopy, a procedure known as polypectomy, which can effectively prevent cancer development. He strongly advises those with a family history of colorectal cancer to seek medical advice for appropriate testing, cautioning against self-initiated screening due to the influence of social media trends.

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Don't rush to get tested. We are prisoners of social media and everything. You have to go for a consultation, not with a gastroenterologist.