BOWEL cancer causes tens of thousands of deaths every year, making it one of the UK’s biggest cancer killers.
Here, we tell you what symptoms you should look out for and how you can get tested.
Screening for bowel cancer at 50 could save up to 4,500 lives in England every year, experts estimate
What is bowel cancer?
Bowel cancer is where the disease starts in the large intestines.
It can also be called colon cancer or rectal cancer, as these two areas can also be affected by it.
Most bowel cancers develop from pre-cancerous growths, called polyps.
Not all of these will become cancerous, but if your doctor finds them, they will often remove them to prevent the risk of cancer.
Bowel cancer is one of the deadliest forms of the disease, but catching it early could save your life.
Nearly 43,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK each year and 16,500 die from it.
It is one of the most common cancers in England, but only one in 20 Brits would go to the doctor if they had symptoms of bowel cancer.
Fewer than one in ten people survive bowel cancer if it’s picked up at stage 4, but detected quickly – at stage 1 – more than nine in ten patients will live five years or longer.
There are two ways to ensure early diagnosis – screening and awareness. But, Brits are subjected to a bowel cancer screening postcode lottery.
In Scotland, screening starts at 50 – yet in England, Wales and Northern Ireland people had to wait until their 60th birthdays to be invited for screening.
That’s why Trending In The News launched the No Time 2 Lose campaign in April 2018 – to call on the Government to lower the screening age to 50, which could save 4,500 lives annually.
In the summer of 2018, health secretary Matt Hancock announced screening in England would be lowered to 50 – marking a victory for Trending In The News and campaigners.
The programme expanded to include 56-year-olds in 2021, and is being rolled out to more people in their 50s.
What are the first symptoms of bowel cancer?
Being aware of the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer, spotting any changes and going to your doctor is vital.
If you notice any of the signs, don’t be embarrassed and make sure you speak to your GP.
The five red-flag symptoms of bowel cancer include:
- Bleeding from the back passage, or blood in your poo
- A change in your normal toilet habits – going more frequently for example
- Pain or a lump in your tummy
- Extreme tiredness
- Losing weight
Tumours in the bowel typically bleed, which can cause a shortage of red blood cells, known as anaemia. It can cause tiredness and sometimes breathlessness.
In some cases bowel cancer can block the bowel, this is known as a bowel obstruction.
Other signs of bowel cancer include:
- Gripping pains in the abdomen
- Feeling bloated
- Constipation and being unable to pass wind
- Being sick
- Feeling like you need to strain – like doing a number two – but after you’ve been to the loo
- you’re aged over 50
- you have a strong family history of the disease
- a history of non-cancerous growths, known as polyps, in your bowel
- long-term inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
- type 2 diabetes
- an unhealthy lifestyle – you smoke, are overweight or obese and do not get enough exercise
Bowel cancer is the UK’s second deadliest cancer – claiming a tragic 16,500 lives a year.
When should I get a bowel cancer screening?
In order to fight the illness, millions of Brits have been offered rapid tests to detect the killer disease.
Bowel cancer screen tests are available on the NHS to everyone aged 60-74, and thanks to Trending In The News’s No Time 2 Lose Campaign, tests are now being rolled out to people in their 50s.
It couldn’t be easier to get tested – with a home testing kit on offer, or use of dozens of Community Diagnostic Centres.
The home test it called the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT), it is automatically sent to people over 60-74 every two years.
The FIT test involves collecting a small sample of poo on a plastic stick and putting it in a sample bottle. You then post the sample to a lab for testing.
If the tests find anything unusual, you may be asked to go to the hospital for further tests.
As with any cancer, it’s vital to get a diagnosis as soon as possible, for the best chance of survival.
The NHS says: “See a GP if you have any of the symptoms of bowel cancer for three weeks or more.”
A number of tests are used to diagnose bowel cancer, starting with a simple examination of the bottom called a digital rectal examination.
The NHS says people might find such tests embarrassing and uncomfortable. But don’t let this put you off getting help as soon as symptoms show.
Health and social care secretary Steven Barclay encouraged the use of these testing kits to catch it early in February 2023.
He said: “With the launch of the NHS’ first national campaign on bowel cancer screening, more people will be encouraged to use the home testing kit when they receive it.
“Screening makes it more likely that bowel cancer will be successfully detected and treated.
‘’Together with the NHS we are continuing to extend the screening offer to those aged 50-74. I urge everyone who receives a kit to use it.’’
Can bowel cancer be treated?
Bowel cancer is treatable and can be cured, particularly if it is diagnosed early enough.
More than nine out of 10 people with stage 1 bowel cancer – the least serious form – survive five years or longer after they are diagnosed.
However, this survival rate does drop significantly the longer a person has the disease before diagnosis.
The number of people dying from bowel cancer each year has been falling since the 1970s.
For more information visit Bowel Cancer UK.
