Changing lifestyle factors such as environment
Reducing alcohol consumption. A high intake of alcohol is associated with the following GI cancers:
- Oesophagus – alcohol can affect the oesophagus, particularly squamous cancer.
- Pancreas – alcohol can lead to chronic inflammation of the pancreas, known as pancreatitis, which can increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
- Liver–alcohol can lead to chronic inflammation of the liver, known as liver cirrhosis, which can increase the risk of liver cancer.
- Bowel–alcohol affects digestion and is associated with an increased risk of bowel cancer.
Avoid smoking
Smoking is associated with many cancers including oesophageal cancer and pancreatic cancer.
Changing eating habits and diet
Eating a diet high in green vegetables is thought to reduce the risk of bowel cancer.
A diet high in vitamin C is thought to reduce the risk of stomach cancer.
Avoid preserved meats as these are thought to increase the risk of stomach cancer
Burnt and processed meat, as well as a high intake of red meat, is linked to an increased risk of bowel cancer.
Maintain a healthy weight
Obesity increases the risk of many health conditions, including diabetes, which may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer.
Obesity is associated with bowel cancer, specifically for men.
Regular exercise is believed to reduce the risk of bowel cancer.
Avoiding cancer risk factors
Taking medications to treat pre-cancerous conditions.
Ensure you attend regular screening tests for cancers such as bowel cancer.
Early diagnosis that can help treat cancer at an early stage of development
Despite of efforts to reduce individual risk factors, cancer can still occur. Cancer-screening tests are an effective way of detecting early signs of cancer so treatment can start as early as possible, and help to increase the chance of a successful outcomes. For example, early bowel cancer detection, diagnosed in Stage 1, will result in an almost 100% success rate for treatment, whereas late stage detection (Stage 4) leads to a decline in chance of successful outcomes to under 40%.
