Antibiotics overuse could increase bowel cancer risk, study finds

Extended use increases chance of polyps forming in the colon, adding weight to evidence gut bacteria plays a key role in cancer development

The overuse of antibiotics could increase a person's risk of developing bowel cancer, the findings of a US study suggest.

Research published in medical journal Gut found extended use of antibiotics significantly increased the chance of polyp formation in the colon, a precursor of bowel cancer.