Overview
Is bowel cancer preventable?
Media coverage on reducing bowel cancer risk often focuses on diet and exercise. But is this really the narrative we should be focusing on, especially for early-onset cancer cases?
To be clear: We're not saying you shouldn't maintain a good diet and get lots of exercise, in fact we're strong believers that exercise plays a key part in your cancer journey. We simply want to reshape the narrative that bowel cancers (especially young-onset bowel cancers) are conditions that could have been avoided if people had done more exercise or eaten a better diet. In young-onset bowel cancer this is simply not true!
Research shows that the link between diet and bowel cancer in young patients is complex. Some studies say that red and processed meats could raise the risk, but others don't see a clear connection. When it comes to drinking alcohol, it's also confusing. Drinking a lot can increase the risk, but not drinking at all might have the same effect.
This tells us that the issue is more complicated than we might think. Bowel cancer, like many cancers, can't just be solved by eating well and exercising. It's a complex disease that needs more than simple answers.