Key takeaways
- Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer type in the UK and the second biggest cause of cancer deaths
- Risk factors for bowel cancer include eating red and processed meats, and not being physically active. Only 5–10% of bowel cancer cases are hereditary.
- The bowel cancer screening programme starts at around age 50 and eligible people are sent a home testing kit every two years
- Potential symptoms of bowel cancer include blood in your poo, changes in bowel habit and unexplained weight loss
Bowel cancer, which you may hear referred to as colorectal cancer, affects the large bowel, which is made up of the colon and rectum. While it’s the fourth most common cancer in the UK and the second biggest cause of cancer death, survival rates have more than doubled in the last 40 years.
Finding bowel cancer at an earlier stage may mean that treatment can be more successful. This is why it’s important to be informed about the signs and symptoms, and to take part in the bowel cancer screening programme if you’re eligible. In this guide, Perci’s lead Cancer Nurse Specialist, Rachel Rawson, offers key information about bowel cancer, risk factors and screening that everyone should know.
If diagnosed early, more than 90% of bowel cancer cases can be treated successfully
NHS
What are the symptoms of bowel cancer?
Talk to your GP if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- Bleeding from your bottom and/or blood in your poo
- A persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit
- Unexplained weight loss
- Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason
- Pain or a lump in your tummy
Some of these symptoms are very common and can be caused by other conditions than bowel cancer but it’s important to get them checked by your GP.
Who can get bowel cancer?
Slightly more men than women develop bowel cancer and approximately 43,000 new cases are diagnosed in the UK every year. Most cases are thought to develop from polyps, which are often found when you have bowel cancer screening. Bowel polyps are small growths on the inner lining of the colon or rectum. They are very common and do not usually cause any symptoms, so most people with polyps will not know they have them. Polyps do not usually turn into cancer but if some types of polyps (called adenomas) are not removed, there’s a chance they may eventually become cancerous. Because of the risk of bowel polyps developing into cancer, your doctor will always recommend getting polyps treated.
Only 5–10% of bowel cancer cases are thought to be caused by a faulty gene, which can be passed down through a family. If you have inherited a faulty gene, you may have a higher risk of getting bowel cancer. If you suspect that you have an inherited risk, Bowel Cancer UK recommends telling your GP if:
- A close relative (parent, sibling or child) was diagnosed with bowel cancer before 50-years old
- Two or more close relatives have been diagnosed with bowel cancer at any age (for example your parent, and their sibling or parent)
- A relative has a known genetic condition linked to bowel cancer, such as Lynch syndrome or familial polyposis
Can you reduce your risk of bowel cancer?
There are some risk factors that you can’t change, such as getting older, your family history, or a personal history of polyps or inflammatory bowel disease. But there are others that you can control that can increase your risk, such as:
- Eating too much red and processed meat
- Not eating enough foods containing fibre
- Not eating enough wholegrains
- Being overweight or obese
- Not doing enough physical activity (colon cancer only)
- Drinking alcohol
- Smoking tobacco
As with all cancers, the risk of developing bowel cancer depends on a number of factors and varies from person to person.
World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF)
To help protect against bowel cancer, the WCRF recommends limiting your intake of red meat, including beef, lamb and pork, to three or fewer portions a week, and eating very little, if any, processed meat. Examples of processed meat include bacon, salami, chorizo, pepperoni, pastrami and hot dogs. Red and processed meat is high in a compound called haem, which can cause damage to the bowel lining at high levels.
Instead, aim to eat a diet rich in wholegrains, pulses, vegetables and fruit, aiming for 30g of fibre a day. Try to be physically active, aiming for 75 minutes of vigorous exercise (like running) or 150 minutes of moderate exercise (brisk walking, gentle biking) a week, plus some resistance exercises to help build muscle.
A fibre-rich diet and physical activity both help food move through the digestive system more quickly, reducing the amount of time that any cancer-causing substances are in contact with the lining of the bowel. A high fibre diet also helps increase the good bacteria in your gut which helps the cells in your bowel stay healthy, helping to reduce your risk of bowel cancer.
What is the role of bowel cancer screening?
Screening is designed to detect bowel cancer when it is at an early stage in people with no symptoms. The majority of bowel cancer cases can be successfully treated if they are found early. That’s why it’s important to take part in bowel cancer screening whenever you are invited.
Eligible people are sent a home testing kit every two years to collect a small sample of poo to be checked for tiny amounts of blood, which may suggest that you need to have further tests.
The bowel screening age begins at slightly different times across the UK. In England, the age range for bowel screening is gradually being reduced from 60 down to 50. In Scotland, screening starts from age 50. In Wales, screening starts from age 55 and in Northern Ireland it’s available for people over the age of 60. Find more information about bowel cancer screening, including how to use the test or how to request one if you are over 75, here.
What should I do once I have my results?
If you’ve done the at-home test, and the result comes back as ‘no further tests needed’ this is not a guarantee that you do not have bowel cancer. See a GP if you have or get symptoms of bowel cancer, even if you have already done a screening kit as things may change in between screens that need to be checked.
If you’re worried about symptoms you are having that might be associated with bowel cancer, or if you have a family history of the disease, it’s important to tell your GP. However, if you’d like to understand more about prevention or discuss the NHS bowel cancer screening programme, Perci’s cancer nurse specialists can answer your questions and direct you to other professionals who can help.
While we have ensured that every article is medically reviewed and approved, information presented here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to one of our healthcare professionals or your primary healthcare team.
References
‘Bowel cancer’, wcrf-uk.org, https://www.wcrf-uk.org/cancer-types/bowel-cancer/
‘Bowel cancer statistics’, cancerresearchuk.org, https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/bowel-cancer
‘Family history’, bowelcanceruk.org.uk, December 2019, https://www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/about-bowel-cancer/risk-factors/family-history/
‘NHS bowel cancer screening: helping you decide’, GOV.uk, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bowel-cancer-screening-benefits-and-risks/nhs-bowel-cancer-screening-helping-you-decide