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Colon Cancer Irwin was 75 when he was diagnosed with colon cancer. Irwin grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii and moved to San Francisco, California when he was 25 with his wife Elaine. There they bought and opened a 76 gas station where he worked for 40 years until retirement. When his wife was 38, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, fought the disease, and won. This was Irwin’s first experience with cancer, and it was not until 34 years later that he had his own encounter with cancer. Many who knew Irwin thought of him as a meat and potatoes kind of guy, and throughout Irwin’s life, he greatly enjoyed barbequing steaks. His love of barbequing may have impacted his cancer’s development because of all the carcinogens in grilled foods. Carcinogens from burnt food greatly increase the risk of cancer because they act as mutagens. When meat is cooked at high temperatures, the amino acids and sugars form heterocyclic amines (HCAs), and when the fats of the meat are vaporized by the flames, the chemical released, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PACs), stick to the meat. Both HCAs and PACs have been found to damage DNA. [2 ] Irwin was not a fan of eating a diverse diet, commonly excluding fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables have been shown to induce apoptosis as well as protect cells from DNA damage from carcinogens. [3] Irwin had very little physical activity due to his arthritis, but when he was able, he gardened and rode bicycles with his grandchildren. Physical activity is important in protecting against cancer development because it helps maintain metabolic balance. [6] Throughout his life, he has sustained many injuries from doing construction at his house. One time, he fell off a ladder and broke a couple of his ribs. Another time, he drilled a bit through his finger. Furthermore, Irwin also suffered from type II diabetes that was most likely caused by his obesity and had a heart arrhythmia that doctors had previously fixed. Type II diabetes is caused by either a desensitization to insulin on cell membranes or a failure to release insulin in response to glucose. Either way, glucose is not being properly regulated. Studies have shown that hyperglycemia promotes the growth and development of cancer in colon cells. [4] Also, by inhaling many of the harmful chemicals at the gas station may have further developed his cancer. Irwin’s first sign of colon cancer was when he found blood in his stool and he went to the doctor to figure out what was wrong. The doctor’s first test was a colonoscopy and the doctor noted some inflamed nodes in his intestines. The doctor proceeded to run more tests such as an MRI, CT scan, and a biopsy. They found he had stage IIB colon cancer where the tumor has grown into the wall of the intestine, but has not traveled to the lymph nodes and metastasized. [5] Within a few months of being diagnosed with colon cancer, Irwin had multiple surgeries, but the doctors were not able to fully eradicate the cancer from his colon. The doctors then relied on chemotherapy and radiation to help eliminate the rest of his cancer. These treatments, however, were ultimately ineffective. The doctor informed Irwin that of the many types of cancer, colon cancer is the third most common and fatal type of cancer in both men and women. 8 percent of men and women who were diagnosed with cancer contracted colon cancer, and of those who died of cancer, 8 percent died of colon cancer. Irwin lived 7 years after his initial diagnosis of colon cancer, which had spread to his bladder before the doctor preformed surgery. The doctor removed his bladder, but the cancer had already metastasized through his lymph nodes. At the age of 82, Irwin eventually succumbed to cancer.

2 “Chemicals in Meats Cooked At High Temperatures and Cancer Risk.” //National Cancer Institute//

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3 “Cruciferous Vegetables and Cancer Prevention.” //National Cancer Institute//

[|http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/causes-prevention/risk/diet/cruciferous-vegetables-factsheet]

4 “Diabetes and Colon Cancer: An Emerging Link.” //American Cancer Society//

[|http://www.cancer.org/research/acsresearchupdates/coloncancer/diabetes-and-coloncancer-anemerging-link]

5 “How is Colorectal Cancer Staged.” //American Cancer Society//

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6 “Physical Activity and Cancer.” //National Cancer Institute//

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