Who is more likely to get bowel cancer
It's not always known what causes bowel cancer, but it can be caused by genetic changes, lifestyle, and environmental factors.
Having certain health conditions can also make you more likely to get bowel cancer.
You may be more likely to get bowel cancer if:
- you're over 50
- you smoke
- you're overweight
- a close relative has had bowel cancer
- you have inflammatory bowel disease, which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
- you have small growths in your bowel called bowel polyps
- you have Lynch Syndrome or familial adenomatous polyposis
How to lower your risk of bowel cancer
You cannot always prevent bowel cancer, but there are things you can do to lower your chance of getting it.
Do
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eat a healthy diet including at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day
-
stay active and exercise regularly
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lose weight if you're overweight
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quit smoking
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drink less alcohol
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eat less red and processed meat
Information:
It's important to get any symptoms of bowel cancer checked by a GP.