Science

Health scares for a new generation must be tackled with solid science

Colorectal cancer cells. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of cancer cells from the human colon (large intestine). Cancer of the colon is also known as colorectal cancer. Symptoms include rectal bleeding and abdominal pain. Treatment is with surgery to remove the affected area. Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers in the Western world. Magnification: x 3000 when printed 10 centimetres wide.

Steve Gschmeissner/Science Photo Library

“Careless pork costs lives”, wrote The Sun newspaper, a British tabloid, in a headline about the bowel cancer risks associated with eating bacon sandwiches. That scaremongering story was published almost a decade ago, but spurious claims about lifestyle choices and cancer – especially bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer – are still rife. The big difference? The alarmist claims are largely playing out on social media and are increasingly targeted at the young.

Why is this? In recent years it has become clear that rates of various cancers are rising in younger people. This is raising questions – and speculation…


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