Bowel cancer

Bowel cancer

Bowel cancer is a general term for cancer that begins in the large bowel. Depending on where the cancer starts, bowel cancer is sometimes called colon or rectal cancer.  The exact cause of bowel cancer is not known (reason for research), but there are a number of factors that can increase your risk, including:

• age – almost 9 in 10 people with bowel cancer are aged 60 or over
• diet – a diet high in red or processed meats and low in fibre can increase your risk
• weight – bowel cancer is more common in overweight or obese people
• exercise – being inactive increases your risk of getting bowel cancer
• alcohol – drinking alcohol might increase your risk of getting bowel cancer
• smoking – smoking may increase your chances of getting bowel cancer
• family history – having a close relative (mother or father, brother or sister) who developed bowel cancer