Is Irritable Bowel Syndrome related to risk of colon cancer? What sort of diet is currently recommended?
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is not related to cancer risk. IBS is a cluster of symptoms that varies among individuals. Symptoms include diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain and bloating. These symptoms result from spasm or other abnormal function of the bowel, with no physical change that can be seen with an x-ray or colonoscopy. People sometimes confuse IBS with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which is linked to some increased risk of colon cancer. IBD is an inflammation in the intestine and physical changes can be seen with a barium x-ray or colonoscopy. Diet can affect IBS but the same recommendations don’t work for everyone. People with IBS may feel better if they avoid or limit foods that may produce extra gas, such as beans, onions, broccoli or cabbage. Symptoms sometimes improve by avoiding milk and other lactose-containing foods, chewing gum, carbonated drinks, caffeine, alcohol or high-fat foods. Some people find improvement by gradually increasing dietary fiber and/or
