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Many people worry about getting bowel cancer, sometimes because one of their relatives has developed the illness. This section explains:
The cause of many cancers is not known. But we do know that some things (called 'risk factors') increase our chances of developing cancer. If you have a particular risk factor for cancer, this does not mean you will definitely get cancer, in the same way as not having a risk does not mean that you won’t get ill. It is about probability.
Smoking is a good example of this: if you smoke, it is not certain that you will get cancer. If you don’t smoke, it is not certain that you won’t. But if you smoke, your risk of getting lung cancer is far higher than if you don’t. Nine out of ten people who develop lung cancer are smokers.
Risk factors for bowel cancer are not as clear-cut as smoking and lung cancer. But some risk factors have been identified.
Genes are the biological information you inherit from your parents. They affect the way your body grows, works and looks. Changes (mutations) to these genes can increase the bowel cancer risk of family members who inherit the genetic change. This can run in the family, but it is very unusual.
Only a small number of bowel cancers (5–10% or less than 1 in 10 cases) are due to an inherited altered gene (genetic mutation) running in the family.
It is only likely that a genetic mutation that can increase your bowel cancer risk is present in your family, if you have:
If your family is like this, and you are worried about developing bowel cancer, you might want to talk to your GP. They will confirm your family history and might refer you to see a specialist.
If you only have one middle-aged or elderly relative who has developed bowel cancer, or one case of bowel cancer on each side of your family, this does not significantly increase your risk. If you had one of the bowel cancer genes in your family, then it is likely that more than one relative would have developed bowel cancer.
It can be a normal reaction to severe illness in the family or to bereavement to feel more vulnerable to the same disease. If you have spoken to your GP and you are not at an increased risk of getting bowel cancer, but you can’t stop worrying, you may find it helpful to see a counsellor, who can help you get things back into perspective. You can ask your GP for details of a local service, or you can call Cancer Counselling Trust or Cancerbackup.
MIND, the mental health charity, has published a useful leaflet called How to stop worrying.
Other risk factors can play a bigger role in the development of cancer than family history.
Age The main risk factor for bowel cancer is age. Nine out of ten people (90%) who get bowel cancer are over 50. Six out of ten people who get bowel cancer are over 70.
History of polyps or other chronic bowel problems If you have had polyps (non-cancerous, but abnormal tissue in your bowel) or other chronic bowel problems (for example, ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease), you are more likely to develop bowel cancer than people who haven’t had these problems. But it is important to remember that most people with chronic bowel problems don’t develop bowel cancer.
You can’t do anything about your age or medical history. So it is good to know that there are some things you can control that can reduce your risk of getting cancer. However, doing those things doesn’t mean that you definitely won’t get cancer - it might just make it less likely. Here are some things that you might want to think about:
Diet Eating large amounts of meat, fat and salt and not enough fruit and vegetables increases the risk of developing bowel cancer. Try to eat a healthy diet: eat more fruit and vegetables and reduce the amount of meat, fat and salt you eat. Drinking plenty of water and fresh fluids also helps.
Exercise If you don’t do any exercise, this increases your bowel cancer risk. Try to exercise regularly. You don’t need to go to the gym; walking, cycling or gardening done regularly can be enough.
Weight Being overweight increases your bowel cancer risk. Try to maintain a healthy weight.
If you or your children are overweight, unsure about your diet or don’t do much exercise, mention your concerns to your GP.
Your GP can give you more information or can help you get specialist support. Sometimes you can even get financial help, for example for joining a gym.
Alcohol and smoking Smoking and drinking a lot of alcohol both increase your risk of developing bowel cancer. If you smoke, giving up is the healthiest decision you can make. There is now a lot of help available for people who want to give up. Ask your GP for advice, call the NHS smoking helpline on 0800 169 0169 or visit www.gosmokefree.co.uk
It is recommended that men should drink no more than 3–4 units of alcohol a day and women no more than 2–3 units a day, a maximum of 21 units/week for men and 14 unts/week for women. A unit is half a pint of ordinary strength beer, lager or cider or 1 small glass of wine or 1 single measure of spirits.
Although making these changes may reduce your risk of developing bowel cancer, this does not guarantee that you won’t get ill. But all of the above strategies are good for you anyway, and can make you feel better in many ways.
When it is found early, bowel cancer can be treated very successfully. Unfortunately, the early signs of bowel cancer can vary and are not very clear.
You should see your GP if you have:
Bowel problems are very common, so it is most likely that these symptoms do not mean you have cancer. But it is worth getting them checked out. Don’t be embarrassed to speak to your doctor about your bowel problems. For them, this is all very normal.
Don’t hesitate to go back if the treatment your GP suggests does not help you.
Regular screening is currently only available for people who have a strong family history of bowel cancer. But the NHS is planning to introduce a wider screening programme for those over 50. The screening programme may include a colonoscopy or tests for blood in the stool. During a colonoscopy, a long thin flexible tube is inserted into the back passage to view the inside of the bowel. This can help to detect bowel cancer early. Early bowel cancer is much easier to treat than cancer which is detected late.
You can find more information on bowel cancer prevention from Bowel Cancer UK.
Cancerbackup is a national charity and we rely on voluntary donations. To donate, please call 020 7696 9003 and tell us you have visited our website. Thank you.
