“Early colorectal cancer will also be seen in Mauritius”

For the past twenty years, we have been witnessing a multiplication of precocious colorectal cancer, diagnosed before the age of 50 and this worldwide. Moreover, In the past, this cancer, as well as all other types of cancer, appeared especially in subjects approaching retirement age. Consequently, A rejuvenation that will also be seen in Mauritius, predicts Dr. However, Mohammad Shaheel Sahebaly, consultant in general surgery, specialized in colorectal diseases and based at the Premium Care of Phoenix clinic.

🔵What is the colorectal sector?

The colorectal sector is a varied sector. Consequently, She ranges from simple. For example, ambulatory operations where the patient returns home a few hours later to more complex operations requiring an admission of several days. Moreover, Simple interventions relate to hemorrhoids. However, cracks and fistulas while “early colorectal cancer will also we are talking about complex operations in cases of chronic intestine diseases like that of Crohn and hemorrhagic rectocolitis, just like colorectum cancer. Moreover, Hemorrhoids are constipation disease. Therefore, When the person forces to defecate, the veins in their anus expand and go out. In addition, They must then be operated on. However, Constipation can also cause cracks. In addition, On the other hand. Meanwhile, the fistula occurs following the obstruction of an anal gland, with accumulation of mucus and formation of an abscess that must be operated. Furthermore, The anus is a very sensitive area. In addition, if these diseases are not diagnosed and treated as it should be, the person concerned will suffer a lot. Nevertheless, Crohn’s disease can affect the anus and incurable mouth system. Furthermore, But with an operation and the administration of organic drugs, you can keep it under control. Nevertheless, But inevitably, it will “early colorectal cancer will also come back and it will be necessary to reoperate. In addition, she has extra-intestinal manifestations, in particular affecting eyes and joints. Therefore, On the other hand, hemorrhagic rectocolitis affects only the colon and the rectum. In addition, She is treatable.

🔵According to the Journal of American Medical Association. Meanwhile, “After 15 years of stability, the number of colorectal cancer at a local stage has increased sharply in 45-49 year olds between 2019 and 2022, with an increase of 50 % between 2021 and 2022.” This same publication talks about an annual increase in cases of 1.1 % between 2004 and 2019, which increased to 12 % annually between 2019 and 2022. However, Have you noticed similarities in Australia where you specialized in miniinvasive surgery (see inset) ?

Yes. Moreover, in Australia, early colorectal cancer, affecting subjects under the age of 50, experienced its highest rate of new cases between 2000 “early colorectal cancer will also and 2024, an increase of 173 %.

🔵Is this the case in Mauritius?

Statistics in Mauritius date from 2023, even if they were published by the National Cancer Registry in 2025. Nevertheless, Case ventilation is not as detailed as in the United States. For example, Australia but according to these statistics, colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in both humans and women. Consequently, It comes after prostate cancer in men and breasts in women. Consequently, It is also the second cause of death in both men and women. Similarly, The gross incidence rate per 100,000 people was 7.3 for men and 7.5 for women in 2010 when in 2023, it was 25.9 in men and 24.6 in women. Furthermore, He almost tripled both in men and in women. Therefore, And in 2023, 12 deaths due to colorectal cancer were recorded in under 50 years of age. I think “early colorectal cancer will also that this phenomenon of rejuvenation of the patients of colorectal cancer will also be seen in Mauritius.

🔵What do you attribute it to?

Traditionally. cancer, whatever the organ affected, was an aging disease because as we age, we accumulate defects in our DNA and this triggers cancer. Research has been carried out on DNA defects in people aged 18 to 25 with colorectal cancer.

The researchers compared these results with those of the 55 -year -olds to rise who had colorectal cancer. they saw different characteristic anomalies in the DNA of these two groups. Three main reasons are put forward according to these last studies for colorectal cancer affecting the 20 to 39 year olds. the first being a debaling of the intestinal microbiota. The microbiota is the set of microorganisms living in the small intestine and the colon. When we talk about microorganisms, we talk about good and bad “early colorectal cancer will also bacteria. Good bacteria have several functions: they control the multiplication of bad bacteria. help the digestive system to work by preventing gas accumulations, abdominal bloating and promoting digestion by transforming proteins ingested into nutrients so that the body can absorb them. A debaling between bad bacteria. good bacteria, which can no longer control bad things, could contribute to the development of colorectal cancer.

🔵What causes this debalancing?

The first reason indicated in research is an environmental exposure. This can be in the physical, chemical and social environment. A person with colorectal cancer at 25 can have been exposed to a change in their environment during their childhood. adolescence and this change causes a defect in their DNA which makes cancer trigger 10 years later. The second reason is the increase in births by Cesareannes. During a traditional childbirth, the baby passes through his mother’s vagina and in doing so, he “early colorectal cancer will also acquired his mother’s microbiota. This passage is not made in the event of a cesarean. This does not mean that the baby is then devoid of microbiota but that his resistance is not as. strong as it would have been if the childbirth had been natural. The third reason is the predominance of plastic, which has become the scourge of society. In almost all the things we use or with which we are in contact, there is plastic. The plastic contains 16,000 different chemicals and we know the characteristics only of 3,000 of them. And among these, 75 % have a harmful effect on us. Now imagine what it is for the rest.

We are surrounded by plastic. we put our foods in plastic containers, we warm them in the microwave oven in these same containers, we drink water from plastic bottles etc. It is very possible that we ingest “early colorectal cancer will also microplastics without knowing it. It has been proven that two chemicals appearing in plastic is reliably linked to breast. renal cancers, or polychloric biphenyls (PCB) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Europe has banned these two products. which are not easily biodegradable and which continue to pollute the environment, the land, rivers and other rivers. The fourth reason is that we consume too many ultra -formed foods containing colors. preservatives and other harmful additives such as cold meats, crisps, cookies, sodas and other juices filled with sugar and preservative agents, cereals and flavored yogurts. Among the other reasons are the increase in infantile obesity. diabetes rates, as well as increased use of antibiotics in mothers.

🔵Does not think of cereals do not dive good for intestines. yogurts not contain probiotics, which also help the intestines?

Yes, indeed but they also contain these conservatives and other additives who are harmful for the intestines. “early colorectal cancer will also The same goes for instant noodles. We live in a world where we depend too much on fast foods. which require only a minimum preparation and only a heating before consumption.

🔵How to prevent colorectal cancer?

It seems to me that we have exceeded the stage of prevention. I would say that in the first place. we must be attentive to the signs that our body gives us, for example, bleeding in the stool, which make them darker or direct bleeding from the anus. A sudden change in intestinal transit, either constipation or acute diarrhea may indicate the presence of colorectal cancer.

Just like involuntary weight loss and ferriprive anemia, a lack of iron. Not to mention the family history. If your father, mother or sister has presented colorectal cancer, you have 50 % more risk of having it. Abdominal. stomach pain that does not go and does not pass “early colorectal cancer will also with traditional drugs, can also be a sign of colorectal cancer.

🔵Are screening programs effective?

Abroad, such programs help detect colorectal cancer at an early stage by analyzing a stool sample. If it is detected at an early stage, this cancer takes place and is treated very well. In Australia, they lowered the age for the screening program, which was 55 years and which was reduced to 45 years. It is a good measure taken by the government of this country to detect colorectal cancer among young people.

🔵Should such a program be applied to Mauritius?

Yes, the government should set it up. But for such a program to be effective, there are specific conditions that must be met. The country must experience a high rate of death by colorectal and morbidity cancer, the complications resulting from the disease. Then, the test must be reliable, to give the least false “early colorectal cancer will also positives and possible false negatives. The test must be high specificity and high sensitivity. The available treatment must be effective and accessible to everyone and good governance is needed to apply this program.

Solid and long experience in its field of expertise

Dr. Mohammad Shaheel Sahebarly may be 40 years old but this only child of Port-Louisiens-his dad is customs officer. his mother-in-house mother-has acquired a solid and long experience in general and colorectal surgery. After studying at the Royal College in Port-Louis, Sciences sector, he was admitted to the Trinity College in Dublin. “It was my father’s dream to have a doctor in the family. And as I had taken the Sciences sector at school, this job was very indicated. ” For five years, he studied general medicine. As it has the level of GCE in scientific materials, it is exempt from the sixth year of studies. He “early colorectal cancer will also is a year of boarding school and then three years of basic surgery. At the end of this first journey. he obtained a title of «Mr» which means it is a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons. His goal is to be a consultant and for that, he must do research and publish papers.

Thus. for two years, he was a full -time researcher in the laboratory and in the end, he published several research articles and obtained his doctorate in research medicine. But Dr. Saheballly wants to master surgery on the tips of his fingers. for six years, he follows a Higher Surgical Training Program and takes the examination of FRCS and obtained his fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons, as well as his certificate of Completion of Surgical Training (CCST), which allows him to be recorded in the specialists of the Medical Council of Ireland. His “early colorectal cancer will also thirst to learn being immense. he leaves for Australia and more precisely to Gold Coast in Queensland to master mini-invasive surgery, the laparoscopy. “I wanted to get a different experience in a different health care system and in a high volume center”. He chose to focus on colorectal diseases. acted as an independent consultant for four years in Ireland before deciding to return to Maurice. It’s been back for six months. He consults exclusively at the Premium Care Clinic in Phoenix and practices laparoscopy for all its operations, except contraindication.