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 of experience is claimed to have identified one food which he thinks is one of the biggest contributors to colon cancer.<\/p>\n After each surgery, he is said to have consulted with the patients’ families about what they regularly ate, and claimed for 80 percent of the people it’s the same food.<\/p>\n That food is sausages, hot dogs and smoked and processed meats.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Dr Tim Titutan, a US-based doctor with a background in cancer research, told GB News<\/a>: “Processing meat, such as through curing, smoking, salting, or chemical preservation, results in the formation of carcinogenic chemicals called Noc and Pah.<\/p>\n “A study was done showing that eating 50 grams of processed meat a day increased, the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent<\/p>\n “I am not vegetarian, but I do make conscious decisions to lower the amount of processed meat I eat.”<\/p>\n The World Health Organisation considers processed meat a Group 1 carcinogen, a group which also includes tobacco, alcohol, asbestos and radioactive plutonium.<\/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\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/aHR0cHM6Ly9ldS1pbWFnZXMuY29udGVudHN0YWNrLmNvbS92My9hc3NldHMvYmx0Y2Q3NGFjYzFkMGE5OWYzYS9ibHRhZTlkODVk.webp\"\/)
Colon cancer numbers are on the rise (Getty Stock)<\/p>\n![\"(LADbible)\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/aHR0cHM6Ly9ldS1pbWFnZXMuY29udGVudHN0YWNrLmNvbS92My9hc3NldHMvYmx0Y2Q3NGFjYzFkMGE5OWYzYS9ibHRhMzdjMzU5.webp\"\/)
(LADbible)<\/p>\n
![\"Eating](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/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