More than 1,500 people in Connecticut will be diagnosed with colon cancer this year. If detected early, it is 95% curable. Here are some risk factors to be aware of to help prevent colorectal cancer.

Age

Anyone who is 50 years and older is at risk for getting colorectal cancer. Risk increases with age and most people diagnosed with colon cancer are older than 50. Most people diagnosed do not have any other risk factors for colorectal cancer aside from age.

Family History

Your chances of getting colorectal cancer increase if a parent, brother, sister, or child has had the disease. Your risk depends on what age your family member was when diagnosed and how many members of your family have had the disease. A strong family history of colorectal cancer should prompt you to have a blood test to look for changed genes.

You have a strong family history of colorectal cancer if all of the following are true:

• You have at least three relatives who have had colon cancer, and at least one of them is a parent, brother, or sister.
• Those relatives are spread over two generations in a row (for example, a grandparent and a parent).
• One of those relatives got cancer before age 50.

Your Medical History

Your chances of getting colorectal cancer are higher if you have had:

• Colorectal cancer in the past
• Another type of cancer, such as cancer of the ovary, cancer of the endometrium, or breast cancer.
• Polyps removed from your colon, especially if you have had large polyps in both size and quantity.
• Ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease for more than 10 years.
• Radiation therapy in your abdomen or pelvis.
• Type 2 diabetes.

Your Lifestyle

The following factors put you at greater risk for colorectal cancer:

• Smoking
• Lack of exercise and physical activity
• More than 2 alcoholic drinks a day
• Obesity- Extra fat in the waist is more harmful than extra fat in the hips or thighs. If your diet is high in calories, protein, and fat, as well as low in calcium, you are at a higher risk for colon cancer.

*WebMD"