Risk Factors for developing Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is a disease characterized by the uncontrolled growth of cells in any of the four portions of the colon or in the rectum. Research has shown that the presence of certain risk factors can increase the probability of presenting this pathology. The objective of this article is to explain which behaviors can be determinant to prevent it.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) a risk factor can be a condition, a behavior or even lifestyles or situations that expose us to a higher risk of presenting a disease such as cancer.

The most prominent behavioral factors can be smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, excessive consumption of red meat and fats, and physical inactivity. Among the condition risk factors, overweight or obesity and diabetes stand out, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Obesity, a high-risk factor

One of the main risk factors for colorectal cancer is obesity. In the case of Hidalgo, the percentage of the population with obesity is higher than in other states.

In 2020, in Hidalgo, health services diagnosed a total of 9,230 people with obesity problems; of which 64.51 percent were women. Compared to the same period, but in 2019, obesity cases reached 14 thousand 832 (5 thousand 269 men and 9 thousand 563 women), that is, 5 thousand 602 more cases, compared to 2020.

According to the latest publication of the National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT) in 2018, in the state, 13.2 percent of the population aged 12 to 19 years suffered from obesity.


Recently, obesity has begun to be considered a risk factor because it is associated with a 30 to 60 percent increase in developing colorectal cancer. The biological mechanisms related to overweight and cancer risk are not yet fully understood.

However, according to scientific research, they consider that only three hormonal systems may be responsible for the development of this type of cancer: insulin and insulin-like growth factor type 1, abnormalities of sex hormones such as estrogens, progesterone and androgens, as well as adipokines. In terms of gender, there may be a higher incidence of colorectal cancer in men than in women, and this difference can be attributed to hormones such as androgens, according to Deissy Herrera Covarrubias, a nutritionist and doctor in neuroethology, and other collaborators.

What about diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic and prevalent disease among the population and is linked to a generally higher mortality rate due to its complications, according to the Pan American Health Organization. In Hidalgo alone, the most recent federal report revealed that 27,745 people suffer from diabetes mellitus and the most affected age group is between 45 and 60 years old.

Diabetes and colorectal cancer have risk factors in common such as obesity, sedentary lifestyle and a high-fat diet, in addition to the fact that they share possible mechanisms at the molecular level. Insulin concentrations above the normal range are common in type II diabetes, providing the microenvironment that some cancer cells need to nourish and reproduce.

Hyperinsulinemia, i.e. increased insulin, favors colorectal cancer in diabetic patients because insulin, together with the family of insulin-like growth factors and their binding proteins, act on the insulin receptor favoring mechanisms that allow the establishment of malignant cells.

While hyperglycemia, i.e. increased glucose, causes the insulin-like growth factor to interact triggering different signaling pathways, leading to the multiplication of malignant cells, which leads to cancer progression and may even promote invasion to other organs, known as metastasis.

Diabetic patients who do not have glycemic control present metabolic alterations such as increased oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, which can damage their genetic material.

In general, unhealthy lifestyles may account for up to 70% of the etiology, i.e. the causes of colorectal cancer.

Therefore, we recommend daily physical activity, a balanced diet with moderate consumption of fat and red meat, avoiding tobacco and alcohol consumption to prevent any disease that may lead to the development of cancer. But if you already have any of the risk factors mentioned above, we recommend that you visit your medical unit to monitor your health and avoid this disease.