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• Assistant Dean,
  Saiseikai Central Hospital

The large intestine is a part of the lower gastrointestinal tract, measuring approximately two meters. It starts from a part situated between the small intestine and the large intestine and leads to the cecum, the ascending colon, the transverse colon, the descending colon, the sigmoid colon, and the rectum.

Colorectal cancer can occur anywhere in the colonic mucosa. An observation made on Japanese patients has shown that many Japanese get sigmoid colon cancer and rectal cancer.

The incidence rate of colorectal cancer starts to increase when a person reaches their fifties and men are more likely to suffer from it than women. A family history of colorectal cancer has been recognized in some patients.

A cause of greater prevalence in colorectal cancer is the more frequent tendency of high-fat diets and protein-rich foods.

Studies have also found that there are two cases of colorectal cancer. In one case, a benign polyp becomes malignant tumor. In the other case, it appears as a malignant tumor from the beginning.

Unlike cancer of other organs, the cure rate of colorectal cancer is as high as eighty percent. It can be said that colorectal cancer is a highly curable cancer.

• Blood in the stools
• Thin stools
• Constipation
• Anemia

In August 2005, Shuntaro Torigoe discovered blood in his stools. Seeing the toilet water stained with bright red blood, he had an ominous feeling that he might have cancer.

He visited Toranomon Hospital, where he usually went to seek medical care, to undergo a complete medical checkup. The stool examination showed that the fecal occult blood test was positive.

"Somehow, I had a feeling that I might have cancer."

He decided to take a further detailed examination at the end of September 2005 when his current jobs were finished.

A gastroenterologist said, "Let's start with an endoscopy. When are you available?" Bracing himself, he signed the medical questionnaire. Then he felt his journalist spirit gradually rise...

Shuntaro Torigoe was born in Fukuoka Prefecture in 1940. After graduating from Kyoto University, he was accepted at the Mainichi publishing company. In 1988, he became chief editor of a weekly news magazine, "Sunday Mainichi". In 1989, he retired from Mainichi publishing company and started his new career as a newscaster on a news commentary program (on TV Asahi), "The Scoop". From 2008, he has also appeared as the host of a TV program, "Torigoe Shuntaro Medical Front" (broadcasted by BS Asahi), and as a commentator on a news commentary program on TV Asahi, "Super Morning".
In 2001, he won the Japan National Press Club Award for his reports on a stalking-murder case of a female college student that occurred in October 1999 in Okegawa city, Saitama prefecture.
He is also an author of many books, such as Hodo wa Kekan Shohin to Utagae (You Should Doubt Whether News is Accurate, published by Wayts), Ningenryoku no Migakikata (How to Improve Quality of Individuals, published by Kodansha + α New Books), Okegawa Jyoshi Daisei Stalker Jiken (Okegawa Stalking-Murder Case of Female College Student, published by Media Factory).