HAAD Fact: 62% of Colorectal Cancer Cases Are Men

HAAD urges all those who wish to take a colorectal cancer screening test to visit any of the 30 health facilities that offer them throughout the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. For more detail on these facilities, their locations, and appointments, please visit: www.haad.ae/simplycheck/appointment Colorectal cancer is a malignant tumor that start in the colon or rectum, where it typically starts out as a benign polyp (a soft tissue growth on the lining of the colon or rectum) and slowly develops over a period of 10-15 years to eventually become cancerous.

In this regard, H.E. Dr. Mugheer Al Khaili, Chairman of Health Authority - Abu Dhabi said: “With a firm belief that ‘Prevention is better than treatment’, we at the Health authority – Abu Dhabi urge everyone to actively help protect themselves from developing colorectal cancer by adopting a healthy and physically active lifestyle, eating healthy food, going for regular screenings and avoiding Alcohol and all forms of tobacco.”

HAAD statistics revealed that 213 new cases of colorectal cancer were diagnosed in 2014. Colorectal cancer accounts for nearly 12% of all cancer cases, making it the second most prevalent type of cancer in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, after breast cancer. It is the most common cancer amongst men in the Emirate— both nationals and expatriates, 62% for all colorectal cancer cases.

Dr. Omniyat Al Hajeri, Director of Public Health and Research Division at HAAD, “Screening for Colorectal cancer; through colonoscopy, can help detect and remove polyps in the colon or rectum before they become cancer. It also help detect cancer at early stage. It is worth highlighting that symptoms of colorectal cancer appear in later stages. These symptoms include rectal bleeding or blood in the stool, a change in normal bowel movements (diarrhea, constipation or both for more than 2 weeks), abdominal pain and unexplained weight loss or anemia.”

HAAD’s efforts are part of its cancer awareness campaign launched in October 2015 for a period of six months through March 2016, under the slogan "Live Healthy and Simply Check”. The campaign coincides with the global awareness month for each respective disease: October for breast cancer, November for lung cancer, January for cervical cancer and March for colorectal cancer. These screenings are part of HAAD’s cancer awareness campaign, launched recently with a mission to provide the Abu Dhabi community with the highest quality healthcare, ‘from cradle to grave’. HAAD is ramping up efforts to highlight the importance of early detection of colorectal cancer throughout March— the international month dedicated to prevention efforts for this type of cancer.