People at genetic risk of developing colorectal cancer can protect themselves by adopting a healthy lifestyle, according to a new analysis.
As an example, middle-aged men with genetic susceptibility could more than halve their risk of developing the disease, researchers say.
The figures come from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, UK.
The researchers say 10,000 men at high risk could avert 610 cases of cancer over the next 25 years if they adopted the healthiest lifestyle.
The findings have been reported in the journal Genetics in Medicine.
The report says a man faces a 29% risk of developing bowel cancer within 25 years if he is at high genetic risk. But this risk could fall to 13% if the man adopts as healthy a lifestyle as possible.
Researcher Professor Richard Houlston said: “We have made big strides in our understanding of the genetic and lifestyle factors that can contribute to the development of bowel cancer, and that gives us an opportunity to begin assessing people for their future risk.
“If we can identify people who are at strongly increased risk, through both genetic and lifestyle factors, we can begin to give them targeted health messages, aimed at helping them make choices that could prevent the disease.”
Frampton and Houlston. Modeling the prevention of colorectal cancer from the combined impact of host and behavioral risk factors. Genetics in Medicine 29 September 2016; doi: 10.1038/gim.2016.101
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