Explanation
•For the majority of people, the major factor that increases a person’s risk for colorectal cancer is increasing age. Therefore the nurse is correct when she replied, age.
•Risk increases dramatically after age 50 years, 90% of all colorectal cancers are diagnosed after this age. The history of colorectal cancer in a first-degree relative, especially if before the age of 55 years, roughly doubles the risk.
•Other risk factors are weaker than age and family history. People with inflammatory bowel disease have a much higher risk of colorectal cancer but increasing age is still the major risk factor. Colorectal cancers occur in less than 5% of people with a genetic predisposition, including familial adenomatous polyposis and hereditary non-polyposis coli. Folic acid supplement increases the risk of prostate cancer.