Harvard Doctor: Why young people are getting colon cancer | Dr. Andy Chan

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at https://zoe.com Rates of colorectal cancer have declined in people over 65 but doubled among people under 50 in the last few decades. By 2030 it’s expected to be the leading cancer-related death in this age group. In today’s episode, gastrointestinal cancer and prevention specialist, Dr. Andy Chan, explains how changes in the gut microbiome could be to blame. Dr. Chan discusses the critical role your diet plays in cancer risk, how your gut microbiome can influence the development of colon cancer and the steps you can take to lower your risk. Dr. Andy Chan is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Program Director for Gastroenterology training at Massachusetts General Hospital. 🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+ https://zoe.com/daily30?utm_medium=zoe_podcast&utm_source=podcast_platform&utm_campaign=d30 *Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/ Timecodes 00:00 Introduction 04:54 What is colon cancer? 06:17 How does cancer develop? 09:44 How common is colon cancer? 11:55 Demographics and shifting trends 14:48 Leading cause of cancer death for men under 50 16:28 Why are cancer rates rising in younger people 18:06 The role of diet and obesity 20:30 Does alcohol have an impact? 22:07 What is metabolic health and why does it matter? 26:05 Gut health and colon cancer 27:22 Evidence from animal studies 36:11 Why overuse of antibiotics can be harmful 40:40 Screening recommendations and methods 47:08 Can changing your diet reduce risk? 52:17 Should we avoid red meat? 55:00 Does physical activity reduce risk? Books by our ZOE Scientists: Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati https://amzn.to/4blJsLg Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector https://amzn.to/4amZinu Fibre Fuelled by Dr Will Bulsiewicz https://amzn.to/4bzmUXP Mentioned in today’s episode: Influence of the Gut Microbiome, Diet, and Environment on Risk of Colorectal Cancer, from Gastroenterology https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6957737/ Reducing Risk for Colorectal Cancer, from Center for Disease Control & Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/colorectal-cancer/prevention/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/basic_info/prevention.htm Colorectal cancer statistics, 2017, from CA Cancer Journal https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28248415/ Association Between the Sulfur Microbial Diet and Risk of Colorectal Cancer, from Gastroenterology and Hepatology https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2786028 Fusobacterium nucleatum and colorectal cancer: From phenomenon to mechanism, from Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9745098/ Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here: https://gf6hx47iu5g.typeform.com/topicsuggestion Episode transcripts are available here: https://zoe.com/learn/category/podcasts