What we know
What information do we have about the Eastern Board area?
What is the result of this on our health locally?
Policies
What is happening in the Eastern Board area?

Cancer is a term for a group of diseases in which abnormal cells start to develop in a part of the body erg the bowel. These abnormal malignant cells continue to grow and then spread (metastasize) through the blood stream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body such as the lungs, liver or brain.
The bowel, (also known as the colon or large intestine) is a major part of the digestive system. Cancers in the bowel are more common in westernised countries than less developed countries, possibly linked to more processed diets.

The Northern Ireland Cancer Registry (NICR), based in Queen's University Belfast, collects information about cancer in Northern Ireland from a range of sources to accurately record the number and type of all cases of cancer in Northern Ireland. The NICR then provides information about the number of new cases of cancer each year (incidence) and the number of existing cases of cancer (prevalence) for all the different cancer types. The NICR now has data going back to 1993, which enables us to see the trends in cancer types over time.

Cancer is predominantly a disease of middle age and old age. According to data from the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry, half of all patients are aged 68 or over at the time of diagnosis. Females have a 1-in-8 chance and males a 1-in-6 chance, of dying of cancer by age 74. One in three people will develop some type of cancer during their lifetime, but the news is not all bad. With increasing research and new treatments, many types of cancer can be cured or at least halted for a time.

The Northern Ireland Cancer Registry reports that in 2001, cancer of the colon (large bowel) was the fourth most common cancer in males and females in Northern Ireland, representing approximately 7% of all cancers registered. Half of cases occur in males over 71 years and females over 73 years. Cancer of the colon was the third most common cause of cancer mortality (death) in males and females in 2001.

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In 2005, there were 1591 deaths from all causes: 810 males and 781 females. Of these, 114 people died from cancer of the colon: 62 males and 69 females. When we look back to 1991, the rate of death for cancer of the colon has been decreasing for both males and females. The rates fluctuate from year to year, because of the small numbers of deaths, but the trend is downwards. This could be due to fewer cases occurring, fewer cases diagnosed, earlier diagnosis leading to better treatment, or a combination of causes.

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Although the number of deaths from bowel cancer is relatively small, we aim to decrease the rate still further. Research has identified a number of modifiable risk factors. These are listed below:

	Diets with less red and processed meat and more vegetables are associated with a reduced risk of bowel cancer.
	Obesity may increase the risk of colon cancer, but not rectal cancer
	Physical exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer by 40-50% but not rectal cancer. This is thought to work by increasing the immune functions and reducing bowel transit time.
	Some studies have shown that non-steroidal anti-inflammation drugs reduce the risk of colon and rectal cancer.
	Smoking cigarettes may be associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
	Postmenopausal female hormone use is associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer but not rectal cancer.

The Health Promotion Agency recommends that we eat 5 pieces of fruit or vegetables per day, increase our intake of fibre and reduce fat, salt and sugar intake. Improving our diet has been shown to reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer, particularly cancers of the digestive system.

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