BOWEL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Hello supporter. April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign to raise awareness, and we're so lucky to have Claire Burlison as one of our supporters to share her own story about bowel cancer. She says:

"I was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2020 – which came as a shock as I'm only in my 40s. Before that, I assumed my IBS [irritable bowel syndrome] was just getting worse. It was only when I got sharp stomach pains and ended up in A&E that I found out I had a tumour and needed surgery.

"Thankfully, my cancer was caught early and I'm fine now but many people aren't so lucky. I've lost friends to this terrible disease and I'm keen to raise awareness to help others.

"If you notice any changes to your bowel habits that last more than a couple of weeks please see your doctor straight away – it could save your life!"

To make sure you have evidence to the latest facts on bowel cancer, we’ve updated our short but informative bowel cancer booklet – Protect yourself against bowel cancer – So make sure you download or order a copy from our website today.

In our guide, you'll learn more about bowel cancer, get practical tips on how to lower your risk, symptoms to look out for, and information on screening.

ONE OF THE MOST PREVENTABLE CANCER TYPES

Did you know that each year more than half of bowel cancer diagnoses could have been prevented in the UK?

There are some factors that can increase your risk of bowel cancer that you can’t control, such as: your gender and age, whether you have a strong family history of bowel cancer, or a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease or polyps. At the same time, only 5–10% of bowel cancers are a consequence of recognised hereditary conditions.

But the good news is there are factors that you can control. These are known as modifiable risk factors – things in your behaviour or environment that affect your cancer risk. In the UK, bowel cancer has the second-highest number of cases attributable to modifiable risk factors.

If you aren’t currently meeting our Cancer Prevention Recommendations, it doesn’t mean you’ll develop bowel cancer. But every change you make can help lower your risk.

PROCESSED MEAT AND BOWEL CANCER

Avoiding processed meat (such as salami, bacon, and ham) and reducing your red meat intake (such as beef, lamb, pork, or goat) can lower your bowel cancer risk. Find out more about what processed meat is and for tips to help you cut down in our processed meat factsheet!

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT PROCESSED MEAT

During Cancer Prevention Action Week 2023, we encouraged people to think about how much processed meat they’re eating.

As part of the campaign, WCRF commissioned a survey which revealed that almost 6 in 10 Brits were unaware that processed meat could increase your bowel cancer risk. How much do you know about processed meat? Take our quiz and find out.