Introduction
Diverticulitis is an infection in the gastrointestinal tract that may remain asymptomatic for an extended period and lead to the development of colon adenocarcinoma. The risk factors of this condition are aging, lack of exercise, obesity, a diet that is low in fiber, and drug abuse. In the case under analysis, the patient is a 65-year-old obese African American man who has been taken antibiotics over the last 15 years to relieve his abdominal pain.
He preferred a sedentary lifestyle and chose a diet that lacks fiber. As a result, a colonoscopy revealed polyps and adenocarcinoma in the colon. In this paper, the symptoms, genetics, and the impact of immunosuppression will be considered to investigate the development of adenocarcinoma and its impact on body systems.
Symptoms
The patient presents to his health care professional with such symptoms as constipation, crampy left lower quadrant pain, and fever. This situation may be explained by the lack of effective treatment for chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Swanson and Strate (2018) explain that during the recurrent episodes, involved segments have to be resected to prevent the growth of newly infected areas. Being aware of the family history of colon cancer (his grandfather) and neglecting evident risk factors, the patient took oral antibiotics only.
The growth of malignant tumors is usually difficult to diagnose. The inability to choose an operative solution in time, new symptoms (abdominal pain and fever) are frequently observed in patients, even those on gluten-free diets (Shenoy, 2016). As a result, the patient presented the symptoms due to personal negligence and no necessary treatment when the first complaints were detected.
Genes
The genetics of colorectal cancer is frequently investigated by many professional organizations. According to the National Cancer Institute (2020), 95 % of cancer cases are carcinomas, and 95% of these carcinomas are adenocarcinomas (malignant transformations of benign tumors and adenomatous polyps).
Mutations in adenomatous polyposis coli (APC gene) may be associated with adenocarcinoma and similar cancer and include familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and attenuated FAP (AFAP) (McCance & Huether, 2019; Shenoy, 2016). The pathogenesis in a mismatch repair (MMR) genes (MLH1 or MSH2) should also be mentioned (National Cancer Institute, 2020). One must remember that the impact of the polyps’ nature is unpredictable, and genetic changes have to be frequently evaluated and studied.
Immunosuppression
In addition to genetic mutations, the effect of immunosuppression on body systems has to be underlined. This process is observed in patients who have a weakened immune system (the inability to resist infections and other diseases) due to the use of special drugs or therapies. According to Tormoen et al. (2018), the immune system detects and eliminates cancer cells before they are clinically identified. However, immunosuppressed patients have no immune control over tumor growth, and cancer diagnosis becomes frequent (Tormoen et al., 2018). The reaction to a threat is suppressed, and autoimmune diseases influence the work of the body. The number of blood disorders, inflammations, and digestive problems, increases and provokes new problems.
Summary
In this case, the patient is responsible for the development of adenocarcinoma of the colon because of his unwillingness to diagnose the condition and undergo colonoscopy. In addition, he neglected the fact of cancer family history. As a result, new digestive problems and cancer symptoms occurred, without an ability to treat the body because of a weakened immune system. The diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the colon and the presence of multiple polyps corresponds to the symptoms described, along with the history of antibiotic treatment and genetic pathology.
References
McCance, K. L. & Huether, S. E. (2019). Pathophysiology: The biologic basis for disease in adults and children (8th ed.). Mosby/Elsevier.
National Cancer Institute. (2020). Genetics of colorectal cancer (PDQ ®) – Health professional version. Cancer. Web.
Shenoy, S. (2016). Genetic risks and familial associations of small bowel carcinoma. World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology, 8(6), 509-519. Web.
Swanson, S. M., & Strate, L. L. (2018). In the clinic: Acute colonic diverticulitis. Annals of Internal Medicine, 168(9), ITC65-ITC80. Web.
Tormoen, G. W., Crittenden, M. R., & Gough, M. J. (2018). Role of the immunosuppressive microenvironment in immunotherapy. Advances in Radiation Oncology, 3(4), 520-526. Web.