Bowel Cancer Awareness

Research shows that some people wait up to six months to contact their GP if they are experiencing red flag symptoms, such as blood in poo. This is contributing to later diagnosis of bowel cancer when it’s less treatable.

If you notice you have any symptoms of bowel cancer, you should contact your GP and ask for an at-home test. It could be nothing to worry about but it’s worth making sure. Bowel cancer is more treatable when found early.

Knowing the symptoms is important to help spot bowel cancer early. The earlier that it’s found, the more treatable it’s likely to be.

Bowel cancer is cancer that begins in the large bowel, which is made up of the colon and rectum. It’s sometimes called colorectal cancer.

What are the symptoms of bowel cancer?

Symptoms can include:

• bleeding from your bottom

• blood in your poo

• a change in your pooing habits. You might be going more or less often, or have diarrhoea or constipation that might come and go

• losing weight but you’re not sure why

• feeling very tired all the time but you’re not sure why

• a pain or lump in your tummy

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