April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. This provides a perfect opportunity to raise awareness, since bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK.
Ealy detection is key. 9 out of 10 people survive bowel cancer if diagnosed at the earliest stage. So, if spotted early, the more treatable it’s likely to be.
It is important to know the symptoms of bowel cancer. If you have any of these symptoms, it’s vital you speak to your GP as soon as possible:
- Bleeding from your bottom
- Blood in stools
- Altered bowel habit, or regularly having diarrhea or constipation
- Losing weight for no reason
- Feeling very tired all the time
- Pain or a lump in the abdomen
You may not have all these symptoms, but even one of the above should be investigated. It can feel embarrassing discussing one’s bowel habit, but its imperative symptoms are explored early to ensure timely diagnosis.
We don’t know what causes bowel cancer, but certain factors can increase our risk of disease:
- Aged over 50
- A strong family history of bowel cancer
- History of non-cancerous growths (polyps) in the bowel
- Longstanding inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s or Ulcerative Colitis
- Type 2 Diabetes
So, using Bowel Cancer Awareness Month as a springboard to trigger those important discussions with our GP or discuss concerns with family and friends, we can help prevent bowel habit being a taboo subject. And we can ensure bowel cancer is detected as soon as possible so that more people survive. This year, Bowel Cancer UK are urging us to #PassItOn by using their toolkit to pass on valuable information about symptoms using posters to display at work or donating to the charity to support the amazing work they do.