Dr Hilary Jones discusses bowel cancer awareness acronym

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Bowel cancer is a serious disease whereby cancerous cells divide and multiply in the large bowel (colon) and the back passage (rectum). It is also known as colorectal cancer. Like all cancers, early intervention is key to stem the spread of the tumour to other areas of the body. However, the symptoms of bowel cancer can be subtle and do not necessarily make you feel ill.

Due to the cancer’s location, many of the symptoms affect your bowel movements.

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, poo that looks narrower than usual is a telltale sign of bowel cancer.

Other warning signs include:

• Pooing more often, with looser, runnier poos and sometimes tummy (abdominal) pain
• Blood in the poo without other symptoms of piles (haemorrhoids) – this makes it unlikely the cause is haemorrhoids.

It is important to note that most people with these symptoms do not have bowel cancer.

“However, you should see a GP if you have any of the symptoms of bowel cancer for three weeks or more,” advises the NHS.

The health body continues: “When you first see a GP, they’ll ask about your symptoms and whether you have a family history of bowel cancer.

“They’ll usually carry out a simple examination of your bottom, known as a digital rectal examination (DRE), and examine your tummy (abdomen).”

This is a useful way of checking whether there are any lumps in your tummy or bottom (rectum).

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Am I at risk?

The exact cause of bowel cancer is unknown. However, research has shown several factors may make you more likely to develop it.

Having one or more risk factors doesn’t mean that you will definitely get bowel cancer.

It is very difficult to research the link between diet and cancer but certain foods have been shown to increase your risk.

Many studies have shown that eating lots of red and processed meat increases the risk of bowel cancer.

Processed meat is any meat that has been treated to preserve it and/or add flavour – for example, bacon, salami, sausages, canned meat, or chicken nuggets.

“It is estimated that around 13 out of 100 bowel cancer cases (around 13 percent) in the UK are linked to eating these meats,” reports Cancer Research UK.

Processed meat can also raise your risk of heart disease – a major killer worldwide.

The government recommends that people eating more than 90g of red and processed meat a day should reduce it to 70g or less.

Poor dietary decisions are the primary cause of obesity and obesity is an independent risk factor for bowel cancer.

Obesity means being very overweight with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher.

BMI is a measure of whether you’re a healthy weight for your height.

“The risk of bowel cancer is higher in people who are obese compared to those who have a healthy BMI,” warns Cancer Research UK.

Other risk factors include:

• Genetics
• Medical reasons
• Lack of physical activity.

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