Colorectal Cancer (Colon Carcinoma): Medical History

Medical history (history of illness) represents an important component in the diagnosis of colon cancer (colorectal cancer).

Family history

  • Are there any tumor cases in your family that are common?

Social history

Current medical history/systemic history (somatic and psychological complaints).

  • Have you noticed any changes in the stool such as blood accumulation?*
  • Have your bowel habits changed?
  • Do you have increased intestinal cramps or abdominal pain?
  • How long have these changes existed?

Vegetative anamnesis including nutritional anamnesis.

  • Are you overweight? Please tell us your body weight (in kg) and height (in cm).
  • Have you lost body weight unintentionally?
  • Has your appetite changed?
  • Do you eat a high-fat or low-fiber diet?
  • Do you get enough exercise every day?
  • Do you smoke? If so, how many cigarettes, cigars or pipes per day?
  • Do you drink alcohol? If yes, what drink(s) and how many glasses per day?

Self history incl. medication history.

  • Pre-existing conditions (intestinal diseases such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease; tumor diseases such as, for example, such as mammary carcinoma (breast cancer), ovarian carcinoma (ovarian cancer) or endometrial carcinoma (uterine cancer)).
  • Surgeries
  • Allergies
  • Medication history – patients who received antibiotics for two months or longer between the ages of 20 and 39 were 36% more likely to have colon polyps at screening colonoscopy when they were older

Environmental history

  • Nitrate in drinking water (nitrate is converted to nitrite and N-nitroso compounds in the body); group of individuals exposed to the highest load of ≥ 16.75 mg/l had nearly 20% higher risk of colorectal cancer compared with individuals who had the lowest intake of nitrate in drinking water at < 0.69 mg/l (HR 1.16, 95% CI 1.08-1.25). CONCLUSION: The maximum limit of 50 mg nitrate per liter of drinking water under the EU Drinking Water Directive should be reconsidered.