Bowel cancer is now the fourth most common form of cancer<\/a> here in the UK<\/a> and yet symptoms can often go under the radar, with many cases dismissed by doctors due to similarities<\/a> with other stomach-related issues such as IBS.<\/p>\n Although doctors have long urged us to stay away from things like alcohol<\/a> and red meat<\/a> because of the increased risk of cancer, an oncologist with 17 years experience has now identified one food which he thinks is one of the biggest contributors to colon cancer.<\/p>\n On Instagram<\/a>, he shared the testimonies of several different patients, all of whom identified sausages as a common factor in their diets.<\/p>\n The oncologist wrote: “Oncologist surgeon, 17 years in the job, hundreds of colon surgeries. After each one he asks the family what the person ate every day. After 17 years he sees a pattern: in 80 percent it\u2019s the same food.”<\/p>\n And that food is seemingly sausages, which is certainly backed up by the World Health Organisation, who suggest that processed meats are considered a Group 1 carcinogen, which also includes tobacco, alcohol, asbestos and radioactive plutonium.<\/p>\n You can read the testimonies of the colon cancer patients below:<\/p>\n Why does eating sausages and processed meat increase the risk of bowel cancer?<\/p>\n Cancer Research UK<\/a> explains that nitrates and nitrites are chemical preservatives added to processed meat like sausages to keep it fresher for longer.<\/p>\n They’re broken down in the body into N-nitroso chemicals (NOCs), which damage the cells lining the bowel, potentially causing bowel cancer<\/p>\n The health charity advises you to eat as little processed meat as possible. Other processed meats include bacon, sandwich ham, corned beef, hot dogs, salami and pepperoni<\/p>\n A 2020 study<\/a> found that people eating 75g of processed or red meat per day, which is about one large sausage, had a 32 percent increased risk of developing bowel cancer.<\/p>\n The likes of James Van de Beek<\/a>, Married at First Sight host Mel Schilling<\/a> and Chadwick Boseman<\/a> have all passed away from colon cancer in recent years, which shows how dangerous it can be even when affecting those under the age of 50.<\/p>\n![\"Colon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/aHR0cHM6Ly9ldS1pbWFnZXMuY29udGVudHN0YWNrLmNvbS92My9hc3NldHMvYmx0Y2Q3NGFjYzFkMGE5OWYzYS9ibHRhZTlkODVk.webp\"\/)
Colon cancer numbers are on the rise (Getty Stock)<\/p>\n![\"Eating](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/aHR0cHM6Ly9ldS1pbWFnZXMuY29udGVudHN0YWNrLmNvbS92My9hc3NldHMvYmx0Y2Q3NGFjYzFkMGE5OWYzYS9ibHRlNGU2NDk5.webp\"\/)
Eating a moderate amount of processed and red meat can increase the risk of bowel cancer by 32 percent (Getty Stock Images)<\/p>\n