Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, can affect any part of the colon or rectum; it may also be referred to as colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where the cancer is located.
Bowel cancer screening is for people who do not already have bowel cancer, symptoms of bowel cancer, or any reason to have a high risk of bowel cancer.
Patient-centred care is healthcare that is respectful of, and responsive to, the preferences, needs and values of patients and consumers.
Bowel Cancer Australia provides essential support services uniquely designed for bowel cancer patients via our confidential Helpline with specialist telehealth support, as well as a national Peer-to-Peer Support Network and Buddy Program.
Bowel Cancer Australia funds research that has the potential to improve survival and/or help build a path toward a cure and integrates published research into our awareness, advocacy, and support strategies.
Bowel Cancer Australia relies upon donations and the support of hard working and enthusiastic fundraisers across the country to continue our life saving work. We raise funds to continue our life-saving work and inspire others to do the same, so everyone affected by bowel cancer can live their best life.
Diet and lifestyle choices, as well as screening and surveillance, can influence your bowel cancer risk.
Because these are things you can change (modify), they are referred to as ‘modifiable’ risk factors.
Research indicates up to 32% of bowel cancer cases may be prevented by endoscopic screening alone (flexible sigmoidoscopy / colonoscopy) and, when combined with the 5 healthy lifestyle factors* increased to 61%.
Having one or more risk factors does not always mean that you will get bowel cancer, and some people who are diagnosed with bowel cancer may not have any known risk factors.
Bowel cancer risk increases significantly when two or more alcoholic drinks are consumed per day.
If you choose to drink alcohol, limit the amount.
Long-term use (five years or more) of at least 75mg per day of aspirin can decrease the risk of bowel cancer.
Please note: the possible harms of aspirin use include a higher than normal risk of bleeding in the stomach, intestines, or brain.
Please discuss with your GP before taking aspirin.
Bowel cancer risk rises with increased body fatness, as marked by body mass index (BMI), waist circumference or waist-hip ratio.
During childhood and adolescence, be as lean as possible within the normal range of body weight. From age 21, maintain body weight within the normal body mass index (BMI) range.
Keep your weight within the healthy range and avoid weight gain in adult life.
Dairy products and calcium supplements are associated with a decreased risk of bowel cancer.
Consuming 400 grams of dairy products per day decreases risk by 15%. Similarly, the consumption of 200 grams of milk or 200mg of dietary calcium per day was associated with a 6% decreased bowel cancer risk.
Include dairy products such as low-fat milk, yoghurt, and cheese, in your daily diet. If you are lactose intolerant or need to avoid dairy for other reasons, speak with your GP or a nutritionist about a daily calcium supplement appropriate for you.
Recreational physical activity can reduce colon (not rectal) cancer by 16%.
Aim to be physically active where the heart rate is elevated, every day in any way for 30 minutes or more. As fitness improves, increase the length of time you are active to 60 minutes or engage in more vigorous activity. Limit sedentary habits such as watching television.
Be physically active as part of everyday life – walk more and sit less.
People with cancers diagnosed through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program had a 40% lower risk of dying than people who had not been screened.
Most bowel polyps are adenomas, which may develop into bowel cancer. Removing bowel polyps that are larger than 1 cm may lower the risk of bowel cancer. It is not known if removing smaller polyps lowers the risk of bowel cancer.
The removal of polyps means those polyps are unable to become precancerous and develop into bowel cancer in the future. Please note: the possible harms of polyp removal during colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy include a tear in the wall of the bowel and bleeding.
Participate in screening appropriate to your personal level of risk.
Eating too much red meat (e.g. beef, lamb, pork, goat) has been linked with an increased risk of bowel cancer.
Eating processed meats such as bacon, ham, salami and some sausages has been strongly linked with an increased risk of bowel cancer.
If you eat red meat, limit the amount to no more than about three portions per week. Three portions is equivalent to about 350-500 grams cooked weight.
When barbecuing, partly cook meat in the oven first to reduce cooking times on open flames or grills. Keep temperatures low and use marinades to protect meat from burning.
Eat very little, if any, processed meat.
Smoking 40 cigarettes (two packs) per day increases the risk of bowel cancer by around 40% and nearly doubles the risk of bowel cancer death.
Quit smoking and avoid exposure to tobacco smoke.
Consuming wholegrains and foods containing dietary fibre decreases the risk of bowel cancer.
Eating at least 90 grams of wholegrains a day, such as brown rice or wholemeal bread, can reduce the risk of bowel cancer by 17%.
Fill two-thirds or more of your plate with wholegrains, vegetables, fruits, beans and nuts and no more than one-third with animal protein such as poultry or lean red meat.
*A healthy lifestyle is defined as these five factors: normal body weight; never smoked or past smoking with pack-years <5; moderate-to-vigorous intensity activity for ≥30 minutes per day; none-to-moderate alcohol intake; and meeting at least 3 of the 6 dietary recommendations by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) Third Expert Report 2018, which included red meat <0.5 serving/d, processed meat <0.2 serving/d, dietary fibre ≥30 g/d, dairy products ≥3 servings/d, whole grains ≥48 g/d or account for at least half of total grains, and calcium supplement use.
A Bowel Cancer Australia resource outlining the latest evidence on modifiable risk factors for bowel cancer – opens to an A3 poster.