Colon cancer: the risks of ultra-processed foods and the need for early detection | Letters

Regarding Devi Sridhar’s article (Colon cancer is on the rise among young people – and research points to one major culprit, 1 October), I was diagnosed with colon cancer in February this year, at the age of 43.

I do not dispute anything written by Prof Sridhar in her article, but in my particular case, the cancer was not a result of consuming ultra-processed food. I have a genetic deficiency, which ultimately meant I was eligible for immunotherapy treatment. That, along with surgery, thankfully means I have made a full recovery.

My main reason for writing is to emphasise the importance of early detection. Despite the tumour being of a considerable size, the only symptom I had was iron deficiency. I knew that low iron could be a sign of colorectal cancer, but it took nearly 18 months for a GP to take my concerns seriously. It was only through my persistence that I was finally diagnosed. My message is, if you feel tired and/or breathless, ask for an iron test immediately. If you are iron deficient, ask for a stool test – do not allow yourself to be fobbed off (this is especially pertinent to women and younger people). If you are diagnosed early enough, your chances of a full recovery are very high.

I would also like to take the opportunity to highlight the amazing work being done in the field of immunotherapy treatment. It will be an absolute game changer for many people. I also cannot fault the treatment I received once I was in the care of University College Hospital – it was world-class in every respect.
Sian Phillips
London

• Devi Sridhar’s article casts ultra-processed foods as a 21st-century equivalent of tobacco. The article ignores one crucial difference, however: people have no choice but to eat, and UK food prices rose 37% between January 2020 and July 2025. Ultra-processed foods may be unhealthy, but they are the only affordable option for many, and the ban on multi-buy food offers will cause further pain for many who are already struggling.

Given that, based on figures from Trussell, 14.1 million people in the UK faced food insecurity in 2024, it is morally paradoxical to “encourage” people to eat more healthily while putting up prices, effectively creating a patronising tax on the least well off. Surely the moral approach, and the one more likely to be successful, enables people to make healthy choices by taking action to lower the cost of healthy foods, so that they are affordable to all.
Aisling Spain
Belfast