Read article Bowel cancer - A to Z
Bowel cancer affects more than 36,500 people in the UK every year. It is the second most common cancer in women and the third in men. Thanks to improved treatment and earlier detection, five-year survival rates for bowel cancer have doubled over the last 30 years.
Eating a diet low in red or processed meat and high in fibre, fruit and vegetables can reduce the risk of bowel cancer. Being physically active helps to cut the risk, but being overweight or regularly drinking too much alcohol increases it.
Cancer Research UK is one of the major funders of bowel cancer research in the UK. Some people inherit faulty genes that increase their risk of bowel cancer, and our scientists have played a leading role in identifying these genes.
England, Scotland and Wales have launched national screening programmes for bowel cancer. Experts think this will save around 20,000 lives over the next twenty years.
Our CancerHelp section also has detailed information on bowel cancer.
Browse content about Bowel cancer
- Bowel cancer - histology
- Bowel cancer incidence statistics
- Bowel cancer research
- Bowel cancer screening
- Bowel cancer survival statistics
- Colorectal cancer
- Dr Doug Winton
- MPs timely bowel cancer screening message targets World Cup fans
- Our impact on bowel cancer
- Our progress and achievements in the 1980s
- Prof Alan Clarke
- Prof Chris Paraskeva
- Prof Inke Näthke
- Prof John Primrose
- Prof Owen Sansom
- Prof Peter Sasieni
- Prof Trevor Dale
- Spot bowel cancer early
- Bowel cancer Key Facts
- Bowel cancer mortality statistics
- Bowel cancer risk factors
- Bowel cancer screening and prevention
- Cancer incidence projections for selected cancers
- Dr Abdolrahman Shams Nateri
- Dr Farhat Din
- May 2010 podcast transcript
- Our policy on cancer screening
- Our progress and achievements in the 2000s
- Prof Caroline Dive
- Prof Ian Tomlinson
- Prof Jack Cuzick
- Prof Malcolm Dunlop
- Prof Paddy Johnston
- Prof Richard Houlston
- Prof Wendy Atkin
Latest Bowel cancer news from Cancer Research UK
- News story: More evidence that beta blockers help stop cancers from spreading
30 January 2013 - News story: One in five bowel cancer patients diagnosed in an emergency
18 December 2012 - News story: Study backs flexi-scope for bowel screening
4 December 2012 - Press Release: Bowel screening helps to detect early cancers before they have the power to kill
4 November 2012 - Press Release: Protein levels could predict if bowel cancer patients will benefit from Avastin
23 October 2012 - Press Release: Scientists discover how iron levels and a faulty gene cause bowel cancer
9 August 2012 - Press Release: Bowel cancer risk calculator could help doctors diagnose the disease
11 July 2012 - Press Release: Poorest bowel cancer patients more likely to die within month of surgery
14 June 2012 - Press Release: Aspirin's 'double hit' on bowel cancer
31 May 2012 - Press Release: Gene link to higher rates of bowel cancer in men
27 May 2012
- Press Release: Bowel cancer gene discovery cracks mystery of families with a strong history of the disease
23 December 2012 - Press Release: Britons want bowel cancer screening recommendation
5 December 2012 - Press Release: Smokers leave a history of their addiction in DNA
6 November 2012 - Press Release: Bowel cancer 'chemo swap' shrinks tumours, making surgery safer and easier
1 November 2012 - News story: Gut bacteria could help fuel bowel cancer development
4 October 2012 - Press Release: Bowel cancer patients diagnosed through screening more likely to survive
25 July 2012 - Press Release: Screening helps early diagnosis of bowel cancer
15 June 2012 - News story: Studies unpick why bowel cancers become resistant to treatment
13 June 2012 - Press Release: Cancer Research UK initiative attracts innovative targeted cancer trials to the UK
31 May 2012 - News story: Study confirms 'flexi scope' test reduces bowel cancer deaths
22 May 2012
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