Bowel cancer who is at risk

There is also evidence that foods containing dietary fiber can decrease the risk of colorectal cancer. Apples are one fruit high in dietary fiber. Plus, the vitamin C found in apples also act as an antioxidant to support immune function and fight cancer cell growth.

The American Cancer Society also recommends taking the following to help reduce the risk for colon and rectal cancers:. Get screened regularly and appropriately for your personal medical history and family history of colorectal cancer and polyps. Maintain a healthy weight. Live a physically active lifestyle. Limit alcohol consumption.

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Colorectal cancer is cancer that starts in either the colon or the rectum. This form of cancer is the second most prevalent in the United States.

For many people, colorectal cancer can be prevented through regular screenings. Colonoscopies are considered the gold standard of screening tools for colorectal cancer. In a colonoscopy, a tiny camera is guided through the large intestine to look for cancer or adenomatous polyps fleshy growths occurring on the lining of the cancer or rectum that can develop into cancer if untreated , which are often referred to as adenomas. If polyps are found, a scissors can snip off a piece for biopsy, or even the entire growth, to determine whether cancer is present.

There is general agreement among physicians that colonoscopies save lives, and that beginning at age 50, every American should have a colonoscopy done every ten years—at least until age 75, when the possible harm from the procedure may outweigh the benefits. According to both VA guidelines and guidelines set forth by the American College of Physicians ACP , some people at additional risk for colon cancer should begin having colonoscopies earlier than 50—and have them done more frequently than every ten years.

A new study, however, has reviewed the evidence relating to one of the groups currently considered "high-risk," and concluded that the studies that physicians relied on to make this classification do not show that people in that group are, in fact, at higher risk of developing colorectal cancer. The study, titled "Risk for colorectal cancer in persons with a family history of adenomatous polyps: a systematic review," was published in the May 15, , issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The physicians conducting the study, Thomas F.