Bowel cancer is one of the most frequently occurring cancers in the United States.
At present, there is no adequately documented method of preventing bowel cancer, though eating plenty of fruits and vegetables does help to reduce the risk, as may reasonably vigorous exercise. The most effective way to prevent invasive cancer is finding tumors very early or find and remove polyps before they turn cancerous. Polyps, especially those that turn cancerous, and early cancers tend to bleed. Testing the stools for blood every year, in addition to regular bowel examination with a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy, is a good preventive step. The best way to detect silent intestinal bleeding is the Hemoccult slide.