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Bowel cancer

Causes of bowel cancer

Open all pages about Bowel cancer

It's not always known why bowel cancer happens, but it can be caused by genetic changes, your lifestyle and certain health conditions.

It's not always possible to prevent bowel cancer. Staying a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and quitting smoking may help.

Page last reviewed: 09/03/2023
Next review due: 09/03/2026