Deborah James discusses bowel cancer signs and symptoms
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Bowel cancer is a general term for cancer that begins in the large bowel. Depending on where the cancer starts, bowel cancer is sometimes called colorectal cancer, colon, or rectal cancer. The newly published study reveals that the increased presence of certain bacteria in a gut indicates an increased chance that the colon tissues will become cancerous.
The study, published in the Cell Host & Microbe journal, states: “Colorectal cancer is a major health concern worldwide.”
It finds gut bacteria might be an indicator of a colon cancer risk.
The researchers followed 40 patients – who had undergone colonoscopies and had biopsies taken near the polyps – and found bacteria present at relatively higher levels compared to patients who were polyp-free.
The patients were between the ages 50 and 75, and 60 percent were women.
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There are three main symptoms of bowel cancer, although many people with these symptoms do not have bowel cancer. Other health problems can cause similar symptoms.
The symptoms include persistent blood in your poo, which is happening for no obvious reason.
The second is that there is a persistent change in your bowel habit. This tends to mean needing to poo more and finding that your poo may also become more runny.
The third main symptom is persistent lower abdominal pain. Bloating or discomfort in your tummy that seems always to be caused by eating, and may be associated with loss of appetite or significant unintentional weight loss, could be a sign.
Nonetheless, blood in your poo when it is also accompanied with some discomfort, is more often caused by piles.
Other bowel changes can be caused by diet, and are not usually caused by any serious condition, the NHS states.
“These symptoms should be taken more seriously as you get older and when they persist despite simple treatments,” the site adds.
This is because the prevalence of bowel cancer is much higher in older adults.
Indeed, there are a number of factors that can increase your risk of bowel cancer, though the exact cause of bowel cancer is unknown.
As well as being over the age of 60, risk factors include a diet high in red or processed meats and low in fibre, and being overweight.
Smoking may increase your chances of getting bowel cancer, as could being inactive.
Some people will also have an increased risk of bowel cancer as a result of another condition, for example if they have had Crohn’s disease in the colon for more than 10 years.
Everyone aged 60 to 74 who is registered with a GP and lives in England should automatically be sent a bowel cancer screening home test kit every two years.
Around 90 percent of people with stage one bowel cancer will survive their cancer for five years or more after they are diagnosed, according to Cancer Research UK.
Researchers are currently looking at a test on your poo called faecal immunochemical testing (FIT), to find out if this test can help them decide who needs to have an urgent endoscopy to look for bowel cancer.
Researchers are also looking at ways to improve surgery for bowel cancer.
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