[Evaluation of selected epidemiological risk factors for cancer of the lower gastrointestinal tract in middle Pomerania].

Introduction: Cancer now represents the basic problem that modern medicine has difficulties dealing with both in Poland and around the world. In spite of the continuous development of science, more and better diagnostic techniques and new therapies based on the drugs acting selectively on cancer cells, the malignant cancer continues to be the first in women and the second in men, after heart disease, most common cause of death. According to data from the International Agency for Reserch of Cancer about 10 million people suffers from malignant cancer and the number of deaths due to this type of cancer has exceeded 6 million. If current trends do not change, until 2020 these figures can double. In a properly functioning organism the balance is maintained between the formation of new cells and tissues and apoptosis, a genetically programmed atrophy of cells. The formation of cancerous changes is the uncontrolled formation of new cells which anatomically should not occur in a particular location. These cells form tumours which can be divided into benign and malignant. Within the group of benign tumours, characteristic is that their cells are similar to the cells of a certain organ which has been affected by them. Organs are surrounded by connective tissue sac, and the cancers resulting from them mostly do not spread and their growth is slow. What is important for the patient is that they rarely are an imminent danger to life and they can be removed. Some types of benign tumours can become malignant.

Results and conclusions: Scientific studies have shown that colon cancer often derives from benign polyps and an early diagnosis and removal of pathological changes may prevent further mutations and the onset of cancer. Other studies have found a link between the incidence of cancer and smoking, physical activity, limiting alcohol consumption, or the use of certain drugs. Currently, it is believed that a high-fibre diet reduces the risk of developing cancer. The development of modern oncology, introduction and development of modern methods of genetic and imaging diagnosis as well as treatment (chemotherapy), have resulted in the need for an accurate determination of the biological structure of colon cancer. The introduction of modern diagnostic techniques in pathological anatomy, and, in particular, immunohistochemistry, has a significant impact on the understanding of new factors specific to cancer, considered as prognostic or predictive factors. Further development of medical science, including genetics and molecular biology, leads to a better understanding of the epidemiology of the colon cancer. The introduction of genetic DNA Microarray screening significantly affects the determination of the genetic profile of the specific population, which can cause the increased susceptibility to colon cancer. In the future this should allow the use of significantly more sensitive screening methods to separate the persons who are more susceptible to being affected (predictive diagnostics), and subsequently the introduction of efficient conduct associated with the introduction of a proper diet and the rules for promoting a healthy lifestyle, treatment methods in the occurrence of pathological lesions or early cancerous changes.