BOWEL CANCER

This week, our health writer Jackie Mitchell looks at the fourth most common cancer in the UK.

APRIL is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. It’s an annual campaign to increase awareness of bowel cancer and raise funds for research into treating this condition.

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK and the second biggest cancer killer, but the earlier it is diagnosed, the more treatable it is.

It affects the large bowel, which is made up of the colon and rectum.

Most bowel cancers develop from pre-cancerous growths called polyps, but not all polyps develop into cancer.

“If your doctor finds any polyps, they can remove them to prevent them becoming cancerous,” Chief Executive of charity Bowel Cancer UK, Genevieve Edwards, says.

The symptoms of bowel cancer can include bleeding from your bottom, blood in your poo, regularly having diarrhoea or constipation, losing weight for no reason, feeling very tired and a pain or lump in your tummy.

Although bowel cancer is more common in people over fifty, it can affect people of all ages.

The cause is unknown, although some factors can increase the risk.

“Some of these things you can’t do anything about, such as age and genetics, but around half of all bowel cancers could be prevented by having a healthier lifestyle,” Genevieve says.

“You can do this by eating plenty of fibre from wholegrains, pulses, fruits and vegetables, avoiding processed meat and limiting red meat, maintaining a healthy body weight, exercising regularly, stopping smoking and cutting down on alcohol.”

Screening is one of the best ways to detect bowel cancer early.

If you’re eligible for screening and registered with a GP, you will receive the test in the post every two years.

“It’s designed to detect hidden blood in your stool, which can be a sign of bowel cancer in people who are not experiencing any obvious symptoms.

“We would advise anyone who receives their free NHS bowel cancer screening test to complete and return it as soon as possible,” Genevieve says.

In England if you’re aged between fifty-four and seventy-four, you will be invited to take part every two years, whereas in Scotland it’s between fifty and seventy-four.

In England and Scotland people aged seventy-five and over can request a screening test by calling the helpline.

“We would advise anyone who thinks they should have received a screening test but haven’t to call the helpline,” Genevieve says.

Treatment can include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

“Your healthcare team will look at your test results and general health and will talk you through which treatment options may be suitable for you,” Genevieve says.

Visit bowelcanceruk.org.uk for more. For your screening helpline, call: England – 0800 707 60 60; Scotland – 0800 0121 833;

Wales – 0800 294 3370 and Northern Ireland – 0800 015 2514.