In a retrospective case-control study comparing 100 colorectal cancer patients with 100 age-, race-, and sex-matched hospital controls and 51 spouse controls, no significant differences were observed in the historical frequency of bowel movements, presence of constipation, or use of laxatives between cases and controls. There is a suggestion of greater suppository or enema use in both control groups as compared to patients with colorectal cancer.
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Nakamura et al. (1984) studied this question.
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