Bowel Cancer Awareness Month.

As April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, I thought it prudent to highlight some of the information surrounding bowel cancer as it is one of the most common cancers in the UK, and sadly we represent many families who have experienced a delay in diagnosis of bowel cancer.

Bowel cancer is cancer that is found anywhere in the large bowel, which includes the colon and rectum as well as the small and large intestine. The large bowel is part of your digestive system and it helps absorb water from your food and removes food waste from your body.

Symptoms that people may experience are:

• changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you
• needing to poo more or less often than usual for you
• blood in your poo, which may look red or black
• bleeding from your bottom
• often feeling like you need to poo, even if you've just been to the toilet
• tummy pain
• a lump in your tummy
• bloating
• losing weight without trying
• feeling very tired for no reason

Bowel cancer can also cause anaemia (when you have fewer red blood cells than usual), which can make you feel very tired, short of breath and have headaches.

Bowel cancer screening is currently offered to everyone aged 54 to 74 every two years. This is shortly due to change to everyone over age 50. Bowel cancer screening is undertaken with a faecal immunochemical test (FIT). This service is offered as the risk of bowel cancer increases as you get older, and as mentioned above, it is one of the most common cancers in the UK. The FIT test involves sending a sample via post so is a quick and easy way to get checked.

Should it be suspected that you may have bowel cancer, the main test for diagnosis is a colonoscopy. During the colonoscopy, a small sample of the lining of your bowel may be taken for testing, (known as a biopsy). Further testing may be necessary if the biopsy is positive for cancer cells or is inconclusive.

Treatment that you may undergo for bowel cancer will depend on:

• the size of the cancer
• if the cancer is in your colon or rectum, or both
• if it has spread to other parts of your body
• if the cancer has certain genetic changes
• your age and general health

You may be offered a combination of treatments including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted medicines.

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with bowel cancer, there is a lot of support available. Please visit: www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk, www.macmillan.org.uk or www.mariecurie.org.uk for more information.