Blue March: hospitalizations for bowel cancer break record in the country

According to the entities, hospitalization records bring alarming numbers: 768.663 hospitalizations in the SUS alone for the treatment of the disease between 2013 and 2022. Mortality data resulting from this type of cancer indicate that, in 2021 alone, 19.924 deaths were recorded. Cases increase, on average, by around 5% each year, with a 40% increase in relation to cases registered in 2012 (14.270).

The National Cancer Institute (Inca) projects the number of new cases of bowel cancer in Brazil at 45.630 for the three-year period from 2023 to 2025. If such projections are confirmed, according to the entities, the disease will reach a population of more than 136 thousand people in the country. According to Inca, the estimated risk is 21,10 cases per 100 inhabitants, 21.970 among men and 23.660 among women.

"Although little discussed, the disease – which affects the rectum and intestine – already occupies a prominent place among the most lethal neoplasms for men and women in Brazil”, warn medical associations. The diagnosis of colorectal cancer, however, is not a death sentence. If not treated well, it can, in fact, have serious consequences for the patient's well-being. But the sooner it is discovered, the greater the possibility of intervention and cure.

The guideline is that, from the age of 45, everyone should see a doctor to assess their intestinal health. Around 90% of cases of bowel cancer originate from a polyp, a type of lesion in the intestinal mucosa that can transform into cancer. In a colonoscopy, for example, these polyps can be removed, preventing the disease. In cases of family history, it is important that the evaluation is carried out even before the age of 45.

Another warning is that people with inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, have an increased risk of bowel cancer. Some of these patients may not present any type of symptoms in the early stages of the disease – hence the importance of diagnostic tests.

admissions

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic – a period in which the number of hospitalizations resulting from other diseases dropped – 2022 saw an increase in hospitalizations for bowel cancer treatment in 21 Brazilian states. The biggest proportional increase occurred in Mato Grosso, where the number of hospitalizations went from 917 in 2020 to 1.385 in 2022 – a jump of 51%.

Throughout the historical series, in absolute values, São Paulo appears as the state with the most records: 178.355 hospitalizations. In second place is Paraná, with 108.296 occurrences. Soon after, Minas Gerais (105.441 cases), Rio Grande do Sul (78.140 cases) and Santa Catarina (48.995 cases) appear.

Campaign

Throughout this month, the medical associations involved in the survey are promoting a national bowel cancer awareness and prevention campaign called Blue March. In 2023, with the slogan “Health is prevention. Take care of yourself, avoid bowel cancer”, experts draw Brazilians' attention to the need to combine prevention, early diagnosis and treatment.

The proposal is to invest in prevention actions and prevent patients from needing to be hospitalized. The campaign highlights that there are less complex diagnostic methods that can be offered systematically by the SUS to track patients more likely to develop the disease. When changes in the rectum and intestine are diagnosed in the early stages, it is possible to intervene early and prevent an unfavorable outcome.

Because it presents few signs in the early stages, bowel cancer should be screened periodically in men and women, starting at 45 years of age. This investigation basically takes place through two tests: testing for occult blood in feces and colonoscopy.

As ways to prevent the emergence of new cases, entities warn against smoking, alcoholism, a sedentary lifestyle, excessive consumption of red meat and diets low in fiber. All factors are considered risk factors for the development of colorectal cancer. More information can be obtained at website of the campaign.
(With Brazil Agency)

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