Bowel Cancer

[beardy]

But was that only since they were diagnosed with the cancer, it is not unusual for people to take the hint and change their habits when they get cancer.

[ians]

But was that only since they were diagnosed with the cancer, it is not unusual for people to take the hint and change their habits when they get cancer.

No - these were people who were vegetarian prior to diagnosis. The question came up because I had to wear an ileostomy bag for 18 months while my bowel healed from the surgery. I couldn't eat any fibre, fresh fruit or veggies for that period, only fat, dairy, protein and white bread. I specifically asked how vegetarians coped with this diet because it was driving me mad and that's when she mentioned the numbers. She also said that they found it particularly difficult.

The large bowel (where my tumour was) is where fibre is processed, so it had to be by-passed by attaching a bag to the small colon (where protein is processed). It seemed quite bizarre to me that my body could process meat but couldn't process an apple. I fantasised about apples the entire 18 months and it was the first thing I ate when the bag came off.

I was lucky though - I met someone who had a permanent ileostomy bag - he'd had it for 20 years and he said that the diet was the worse part of it.

[beardy]

Which is interesting, I dont think that the percentage of vegetarians is anywhere near 25% yet.

So that brings to mind two reasonable explanations for this high figure.
Firstly and most obviously that a vegetarian diet increases the risk of bowel cancer, which sort of contradicts most common beliefs about dietary influence.

or that prior to diagnosis people suffer from some sort of bowel issues and move to a vegetarian diet in some direct or indirect response to them.

I prefer to believe the latter.

[kuba]

Well, it may be confusing because the vegetarian / carnivore dichotomy tells us very little about the actual diet. If you're a junk food vegetarian, and I've seen many, that may also increase the risk (crisps and ploughman followed by a chocolate bar every lunchtime is unlikely to make you more healthy than the same combo with a ham sandwich). The article linked below shows there is clear link between red meat and bowel cancer - eating it increases risk by about 30% - but the main thing seems to be a high-fibre diet though:

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-c ... wel-cancer

That said, you may avoid red meat, eat your porridge every day, and still get it as only "about 1 in 10 cancers are linked to an unhealthy diet".

A grim irony is that, as Ian says, they put you on the most unhealthy diet after the surgery...

P.S. Ian thank you for your kind words earlier on.

[ians]

Which is interesting, I dont think that the percentage of vegetarians is anywhere near 25% yet.

So that brings to mind two reasonable explanations for this high figure.
Firstly and most obviously that a vegetarian diet increases the risk of bowel cancer, which sort of contradicts most common beliefs about dietary influence.

or that prior to diagnosis people suffer from some sort of bowel issues and move to a vegetarian diet in some direct or indirect response to them.

I prefer to believe the latter.

You're right - current estimates suggest around 12% of the population are vegetarian. Your second explanation sounds plausible.

[Elizabeth_S]

Cancer Research UK has a very good section on risk factors:
http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-c ... out/risks/
If you read the bit about diet it points out that just because someone is a vegetarian doesn't mean that they have a good diet, I'm a vegetarian and we eat a well balanced diet and my boys have been vegetarian from birth and are quite healthy, but I recently met a young vegetarian and she had the most unbalance diet I've come across, such that it had made her ill.
My mother was diagnosed with bowl cancer aged about 45 (after a years delay when the doctor tried to give her tranquilizers as it was obviously her nerves, when actually she had the classic symptoms of bowl cancer which are enough to upset anyone) and died ages 53, which was a pretty good survival time in the 1970s/80s. Interestingly her cancer was probably smoking related and she was given her first cigarette.... by a doctor, for her nerves as her mother was dying from cancer at the time, it was that or tranquilizers! In my family there is a clear relationship between the smokers (die young) and the nonsmokers who live well into their 80s and 90s.
In Scotland we get the test kits from aged 50 every 2 years.

[Merry_Wanderer]

ians - thanks for posting and like kuba I hope that you get many more years ahead of you to enjoy life.

kuba - best wishes for your Dad and I hope that he recovers

[MGate]

Just got a place on the Pru 100 next august - raising money for Bowel Cancer Charities. A good friend died of this at an early age, so its close to my heart. So I'll be doing my bit.

[TonyR]

Just got a place on the Pru 100 next august - raising money for Bowel Cancer Charities.

How did you do that? I got an email last week from them saying "Thank you for entering the ballot for the 2015 Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100. We’ll let you know whether you’ve been successful or not in February"

[MGate]

Bit off topic but if you volunteer to ride for a charity as part of your application then the charity will contact you directly. They have a guaranteed allocation of places. I just told the Bowel Cancer Charity of my motivation - and promised to raise more than £750 in sponsorship.

[Nareloc]

My wife was diagnosed with bowel cancer over twenty years ago at the age of 30. It had spread to other organs and she was told there was nothing that could be done. In other words go home and die. She demanded a second opinion and was told at The Christie hospital that it was unlikely that chemo or radiotherapy would do any good but they would give it a go if she was prepared for it. She told them she would like to take the chance....bottom line, she is still with us! Although now clear of cancer she has long-term problems with fatigue and intestinal problems, but she is still here.

[ians]

that's really good to hear and shows how treatments have improved since your wife was first diagnosed. Chemo and radio can be very nasty so I'm not surprised you wife gets fatigued. I had radio on the remains of my left lung (i.e. the bit they didn't cut out) and I now have fibrosis on the left lung as a result. But - hey .... I'm still here.

best wishes

ian

[whizzzz]

Hi MW, firstly I am sorry to hear about the deaths, My father passed away a number of years ago after his cancer first appearing in his bowels in his early 50s and it wasnt a nice time at all. I wish you well, the thing that helped me was to talk ( and cry ) to people, I found others who have had the same experience as they know and it was easier for me.

So after that when I was around 30 and noticed a little blood when I went, I had a colonoscopy which was used for a bit of a look around and to cauterize some internal piles that were the cause of the blood. It went as well as could be expected ( its a very very long tube ! ) and I was give the all clear for cancer and the pile treatment

I hadn't heard anything since then ( which was all clear ), so earlier this week I called the Doc to ask if I should be getting the self test kits or go in for another 10 year ( err ish ) MOT. He said the self test stuff was good if I had bleeding, but for me I should get a colonoscopy done again. A friend has hers every 5 to 10 years too. So I am in the process of getting booked in for my next one.

Good luck and shout if you want someone to talk with.

[Merry_Wanderer]

Thanks Whizzz, that's very kind. Good luck with your colonoscopy I hope all is well.