How to Determine if You Might Have Bowel Cancer Symptoms
Bowel cancer symptoms can vary, but there are key signs to watch for that may indicate the presence of this disease. Recognizing these symptoms early and consulting a healthcare professional is important for timely diagnosis and treatment.
Main Symptoms of Bowel Cancer
There are three main symptoms to be aware of:
- Blood in your poo or bleeding from the bottom when you go to the toilet. Bright red blood may come from swollen blood vessels (piles), but it could also be a sign of bowel cancer. Dark red or black blood may come from the bowel or stomach and is also concerning.
- A change in bowel habits, such as looser stools, needing to poo more often than usual, or feeling that your bowels are not emptying properly.
- Persistent tummy pain, constipation, or sickness, which could indicate a blockage caused by bowel cancer.
Other symptoms may also occur, but having these signs does not necessarily mean you have bowel cancer. The NHS advises seeing a GP if these symptoms last for three weeks or longer or if something just doesn’t feel right.
When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention
If bowel cancer causes a blockage in your system, it can lead to severe tummy pain, constipation, and vomiting. In such cases, it is important to see your GP or go to the nearest A&E immediately.
Understanding Causes and Risk Factors for Bowel Cancer Symptoms
Scientists are still investigating the exact causes of bowel cancer, but some factors are known to increase the risk:
- Excess weight: Rising obesity levels are thought to contribute to the increasing rates of bowel cancer, especially in younger adults in their 20s, 30s, and 40s.
- Genetics: While most bowel cancers are not hereditary, having close relatives diagnosed before age 50 can increase your risk. Certain genetic conditions, such as Lynch syndrome, also raise the risk significantly.
- Lifestyle: More than half of bowel cancers could be prevented by adopting a healthier lifestyle, including a balanced diet and regular exercise.
Despite fewer people smoking and improvements in diet and exercise, the reasons for the rise in bowel cancer among younger people remain unclear, and research continues.
Screening and Diagnosis
The NHS bowel cancer screening programme aims to detect bowel cancer early, improving treatment success and survival rates. Screening is offered to specific age groups most likely to benefit:
- In England, Scotland, and Wales, screening starts at age 50.
- In Northern Ireland, screening begins at age 60.
Screening involves a home test kit to collect a stool sample, which is sent for analysis. If abnormalities are found, further tests such as a colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy may be recommended. These procedures use a camera to examine the bowel for signs of cancer.
People under the screening age with symptoms should visit their GP rather than using self-test kits, as these can produce confusing results.
Treatment and Survival
Treatment for bowel cancer depends on the stage and individual characteristics of the cancer. Options include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Advances in genetic testing are helping to personalize treatment plans, potentially improving outcomes.
Bowel cancer is curable, especially when diagnosed early. More than 90% of people diagnosed at the earliest stage survive for five years or more, compared to 44% diagnosed at the latest stage. Survival rates in the UK have improved significantly over the past decades, with more than half of patients now surviving for 10 years or longer.
Young adults aged 15 to 40 tend to have higher survival rates, as bowel cancer is more common and more deadly in older people. However, overall survival in the UK is still lower than in some other European countries.