There is a rapid increase in the rate of Colorectal Cancer among both men and women across the country, the Sri Lanka College of Oncologists raised the alarm on Saturday (Dec. 03).
“In Sri Lanka, the number of Cancer cases detected per year is increasing. Among both males and females, Colorectal Cancer, that is the cancer of the bowel and the rectum is on the rise. This is mainly because the people are consuming fatty diets whilst failing to exercise regularly, which paves the way for obesity,” Dr. Nadarajah Jeyakumaran, the President of the Sri Lanka College of Oncologists and Consultant Clinical Oncologist at the National Cancer Institute told News 1st.
According to Consultant Clinical Oncologist Dr. Jeyakumaran, the Oropharyngeal Cancers are the most common malignant cancer among the male population in the country. The second most common among the males is Lung Cancer.
Breast Cancer is the most common cancer among females, which is followed by Thyroid Cancer, he added.
“Younger people are increasingly consuming junk food and they rarely engage in physical activity,” Dr. Jeyakumaran pointed out.
He also emphasized on the importance of consuming fibre-rich diets as well as multi-coloured fruits, which are very beneficial for our health.
“If you adopt a healthy lifestyle, you can avoid cancers in the bowel,” Consultant Clinical Oncologist Dr. Jeyakumaran advised the general public.