Age and health history can affect the risk of developing bowel cancer
The major bowel cancer risk factors, for both men and women include:
- Age – risk rises sharply and progressively from the age of 50
- A family history of bowel cancer
- A personal history of cancer of the colon, rectum, ovary, endometrium, or breast
- A history of polyps in the colon
- A history of ulcerative colitis (ulcers in the lining of the large intestine) or Crohn’s disease
- Hereditary conditions, such as Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) and Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colon Cancer (HNPCC; Lynch Syndrome).