April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, set aside to educate, raise awareness and encourage people to help raise funds towards treating the condition

First the facts! Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK and the second biggest killer cancer. Nearly 44,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in the UK. More than nine out of 10 new cases (94 per cent) are diagnosed in people over the age of 50.

But bowel cancer can affect anyone of any age. More than 2,600 new cases are diagnosed in people under the age of 50 every year. One in 17 men and one in 20 women will be diagnosed with bowel cancer during their lifetime. But the positive news is that it’s both treatable and curable, especially when diagnosed at an early stage.

What is bowel cancer

Bowel cancer starts in the large bowel. It can also be called colorectal cancer. The bowel is part of the digestive system. It is made up of the small bowel and the large bowel. The large bowel is made up of the colon and rectum. Bowel cancer is a general term for cancer that begins in the large bowel. Depending on where the cancer starts, bowel cancer is sometimes called colon or rectal cancer. Cancer can sometimes start in the small bowel (small intestine), but small bowel cancer is much rarer than large bowel cancer.

What are the symptoms?

They can include:

• Bleeding from your bottom and blood in your poo
• Persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit. You might be going more or less often, or have diarrhoea or constipation that might come and go
• Sudden and unexplained weight loss
• Feeling very tired with no obvious reason or cause
• A pain or lump in your tummy

However, remember that having these symptoms doesn’t always mean you have bowel cancer, but it’s still important to find out what’s causing them.

Who’s at risk

It’s not known exactly what causes bowel cancer, but there are a number of things that can increase your risk. These include:

Age – Nearly nine in 10 cases of bowel cancer occur in people aged 60 or over.

Diet – A diet high in red or processed meats and low in fibre can increase your risk.

Weight – Bowel cancer is more common in people who are overweight or obese.

Exercise – Being inactive increases the risk of getting bowel cancer.

Alcohol and smoking – a high alcohol intake and smoking may increase your chances of getting bowel cancer.

Family history – having a close relative (mother or father, brother or sister) who developed bowel cancer under the age of 50 puts you at a greater lifetime risk of developing the condition.

What to do

If you are concerned, seeing your GP as soon as you can when you have symptoms is vital. The earlier that bowel cancer is diagnosed, the more treatable it’s likely to be. Firstly, try not to be embarrassed to ask for help. Most of us are pretty reticent talking about poo and our toilet habits, but the doctor or nurse will be used to discussing these symptoms and they want to help. Keeping a note of your symptoms can help you to explain what you’re experiencing. Write down anything that makes them worse or better and tell the clinician if you have any family history of cancer.