Bowel Cancer … don't know where to start?

Generally speaking, men have an easier time going to the toilet than women do. But why do the men face a higher risk of having bowel cancer? 

Medical professionals think that it could be because men are genetically predisposed to bowel cancer. At the same time, they tend to smoke and drink more than women do. Although there is no solid evidence, smoking and drinking are two obvious risk factors.

Eating high-fibre foods can help to prevent bowel cancer, but how much fibre is enough? 

Eating more plant-based foods is better for the intestines than animal products, so eating more fruits and vegetables is very beneficial. However, eating too much can burden your bowels. The Department of Health recommends consuming 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables per day – with one medium-sized banana counting as one serving, and dark green veggies being particularly recommended.

So this begs the question: is it safer to be a vegetarian? 

Your diet is only one of the risk factors that could lead to bowel cancer. A vegetarian diet is, of course, encouraged; however, vegetarians may have other risk factors, which make their risk of bowel cancer about the same.

Bowel cancer is most easily spread to the liver and lungs. Could this be because of smoking and drinking?

The intestines absorb nutrients from food, and first send them to the liver, and then through the circulatory system to the lungs. Of course, smoking and drinking are risk factors for bowel cancer, but their effects are not limited to just these areas.

As for blood in the stool, there’s a very good chance that it stems from a problem in the digestive system. You may see blood in the stool that is bright red, dark red or even black. So what scenario does each of these cases represent? Let’s listen as Professor Martin Wong of the CUHK Jockey Club Bowel Cancer Education Centre explains.

If you’d like to learn more about bowel cancer, visit the exhibition at Lei Yue Mun Plaza in Yau Tong on December 4 at 10am – 5pm!

*If you have any questions or need any advice on the content of these tips, please talk to your doctor or other qualified professional.