Gregg Leakes Dies of Colon Cancer at 66: Tips to Reduce Your Risks, CDC Says

Gregg Leakes, Husband of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” Star NeNe Leaks, died of colon cancer, Fox News confirmed on Wednesday. He was 66 years old. But who is most at risk and how can people reduce the risk of deadly cancer?

Gregg was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2018, but he went into remission after treatment. In June, however, NeNe confirmed that her cancer had returned.

SWEET DRINKS AND INCREASED RISK OF COLONIAL CANCER RELATED TO STUDY INVOLVING NURSES

Almost all colorectal cancers start with abnormal growths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which notes that the growths, or “precancerous polyps” may not cause symptoms for years. However, colorectal cancer screenings can help find the growths so they can be removed before they turn into cancer.

“The most effective way to lower your risk for colorectal cancer is to have routine colorectal cancer screening, starting at age 45,” according to the health agency’s webpage, which notes that millions of Americans are missing. recommended screenings and the possibility of finding and treating cancer early. In 2018, 68.8% of U.S. adults aged 50 to 75 were current in screening for colorectal cancer, up from 67.4% in 2016.

WOMAN SHOCKED BY COLORECTAL CANCER DIAGNOSIS AFTER SCREENING HAS BEEN DELAYED DURING PANDEMIC

Colon and rectal cancers occurred at a rate of 36.5 per 100,000 in 2018, with more than 140,000 new cancer cases reported and 52,163 related deaths that year, according to the latest figures available. The annual rates of new colorectal cancers and cancer-related deaths in the United States have been declining steadily since 1999, although the number of new annual cases has increased several times.

In addition to screening, lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, such as increasing exercise, limiting alcohol consumption, and avoiding tobacco. Researchers are working to determine whether aspirin use and diet changes may also reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, according to the CDC.

The risk of colon cancer increases with age, but other risk factors include inflammatory bowel disease, a personal or family history of colorectal cancer or colorectal polyps, and a genetic syndrome (familial adenomatous polyposis Where hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome), adds the agency.

Symptoms can include a change in bowel habits, bloody stools, diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramps, and inexplicable weight loss, among others. The CDC advises seeing a doctor if you have symptoms, which could be the result of something other than cancer.