21st July 2023

A 52-year-old woman presents to her doctor asking for a referral for a colonoscopy

A 52-year-old woman presents to her doctor asking for a referral for a colonoscopy. Her father, aged 82, has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer and she is worried that she may also have the same cancer. She is symptomatically well, with no GI symptoms and no systemic symptoms, including unintentional weight loss. She has no relevant past medical history and takes combination HRT for menopausal symptoms as her only regular medication. There is no other known family history of colorectal cancer. She works as a hairdresser, is an ex-smoker (10-year pack history; quit 15 years ago) and drinks 14 units of alcohol per week.

What factor in her history reduces her risk of developing colorectal cancer?

Select the SINGLE most appropriate option from the list below. Select ONE option only.